Rachel Masons story
by Celticgirl84
Summary: Rachel Masons history at WR, Hope you like it, it will be a long one, there will be REDDIE, but not till nearer the end.
1. Introduction

Author Note

This is going to be my new story, which will take precedent over my others, its going to be long, and take a long time to write, so bear with me. In this Introduction I'm going to explain what I'm doing, and what to expect.

I always write about Rachel having Children, mainly because I think she would one be a great mother, but also I love it when she is with the children at the school, she is very caring, but at the same time, a great figure of authority, this story will be no different.

It will start on Rachel Masons first day ever at Waterloo Road, and what I plan to do is to have a chapter or 2 for each episode, the storyline will basically follow the same as the show, but with extra characters and little differences.

The new Characters will be.

Aimee Mason, and Holly Mason, (named after my 2 lovely daughters).

Obviously I will have to put in a bit of history, I.e the parentage of the girls.

Rachel was married, to Trevor Mason, he died in a climbing accident 6 months before Rachel and her daughters move to Rochdale, so in this story she will be Mrs Mason.

Rachel did change her name when she stopped being a prostitute, but to a different surname, that's not really important.

So I'll stop rambling on, and you can read the first chapter for yourself when I have written it and rewatched Rachel's first day at WR.

I will still update my other fic's, especially sisters, maybe just not as often.

I hope you all like it.

**Please let me know what you think, should I write it/not write it, does anyone have any ideas for Characters or ideas for story lines for any particular episode, if so let me know.**

Thanks


	2. Introducing Rachel Mason

**Chapter 1**

**Rachel's first day **

**I don't own Waterloo Road, just the characters Aimee and Holly.**

Eddie walks into the Heads office and says good morning to Bridgett

Eddie Lawson felt like he was walking on air, although he didn't want Jack Rimmer to leave, he was glad, now was his chance, his chance to show that he could be the top boss, top man, Head Master of Waterloo Road. He walks spritely into the Administration area, and says good morning to Bridget. She hands him some papers "To Action, Week to view diary, and you have an appointment at 10am, with Ria Cheetham" she says.

"Huh, it's been two minutes and already she's sticking her nose in". Eddie carries on in into the office and picks up the phone on his desk.

"Its only m3" he says "I could murder a coffee". Bridgett opens the window,

"I'm just through here you know"

Tom and Mika enter the school, Mika is devastated, that Chlo is still missing, although she was angry at her sister for sleeping with Brett, she still loved and missed Chlo. Tom put his arm around Mika.

"We'll find her, I promise you, and I'll go and see the police today" Tom told Mika as Janeece bounds in behind them.

"Hi Mr Clarkson, Hi Mika" she says brightly, as Mika continues in her stride ignoring her friend.

"Have you heard anything?" Janeece asks.

"No" Tom replied

"She's taking it bad, don't worry Mr Clarkson, me and Max will look after her" she interjected, before walking to her first class.

Meanwhile in the Staff room, Matt is having a moan about Brett, he is the only Male singer up to the job. Tom is in a panic, he has an appointment at the police station, and asks Grantly to take his class, but Grantly passes this onto Jasmine. In the mean time, the rest of the teachers are tucking into the buffet breakfast that Eddie has put on for them.

"I think Eddie is going to make a great Head Teacher" Jasmine says

"Power Corrupts" Grantly replies pessimistically, just as Eddie comes in, he Thanks everyone for their hardwork and makes the announcement that he is acting head.

First Period soon came, and Jasmine was having a hard time with 36 pupils in her class, she finally gives in and lets the kids have a quiz the weakest link. At the same time, Eddie catches Grantly in the computer lab where he pretends to be doing Admin.

"You dumped Tom's class on Jasmine"

"You say dumped, I prefer to use Placed"

"Grantly"

"Give me 10 minutes"

"Now" Eddie says, Grantly leaves and knocks down his username and password"

Chlo is sitting watching TV with Lucy when the Shaun comes in

"You enjoying the flat?" he asks the runaway teen.

"Yeah its banging, Thanks for letting me stay and that" Chlo replies

"It's all right" he turns his back and shows Lucy a missing poster for Chlo.

Its 10am and Eddie goes for his meeting with Ria

"Their in there" Bridget says "Ria Cheetham and Mrs eh"

Eddie never waited for a reply, he just walked into the office.

"Eddie, This is Rachel Mason, the new head teacher"

"Sorry" Eddie says confused by the situation

"Of Waterloo Road" Rachel says

"She's taking over from Jack" Ria says. Eddie looked like he had been kicked while he was down.

"Ria has spoken really highly of you and I'm glad to have you as my deputy" This did not help Eddie, he felt like such an idiot after telling everyone he was the new head.

"I'm sure you two have a lot to discuss, so good luck" Ria says

"Thank you" Rachel says

"Ria" Eddie called "Nigel as good as told me I'd be acting head"

"I'm sorry Eddie, LEA decision, Rachel will be seeing it out the rest of this term and the next, and she'll explain her plans"

Rachel explained her plans for the school to have business and enterprise college status. Which did not please Eddie, he didn't want the school to be dumbed down in anyway, and he planned to tell Mrs Mason"

After Eddie had finished reading Rachel's plans Rachel spoke up.

"So, what do you think?" she asked.

"I think, that kids in this school will not want to be passed off with Mickey Mouse courses" Eddie said annoyed

"That's not it Eddie, Kids who can and want to do A levels and traditional studies can, but for other kids, that is not the best option, anyway my daughters are waiting outside, Bridgett is printing their timetables" Rachel said.

She opened the door and called her daughters over, they already had their timetables in their hands.

"Mr Lawson, these are my daughters, Aimee and Holly", she introduced each of the girls, Holly was like her mother in colouring, the same hair and eyes, Aimee however had lighter hair with a tint of red and bright green eyes.

"Aimee is in lower 6th form, and Holly in year 10" Rachel explained. Neither of the girls looked happy about being at Waterloo Road.

"Mum, I don't see why I have to come here, I could have stayed in London with Aunt Mel, closer to Joseph" Aimee whined.

"Aimee, that is enough, I want us all to be here as a family, now why don't you say hello to Mr Lawson and go find your classes".

Aimee smiled at Mr Lawson before picking up her bag and muttering quietly, but still loud enough for everyone to hear. "How can we be a family without Dad" before leaving the office to find her French class, not that their would be classes for much longer, Rachel had an idea for the 6th form for the rest of the day.

Holly was still standing in her Mothers office, looking more worried than her sister.

"What's wrong Holls, you scared?" Rachel asked her youngest daughter.

Holly nodded, she was such a shy and quiet 14 year old girl and had got even more so in the past 6 months.

"You don't need to be scared Love, why don't I take you to your next class" Rachel said to her daughter

"OK" Holly said, and the 3 of them walked to the IT Suite.

They arrived at the Class, and Eddie introduced Holly as a new student, she paired up with Karla at the desk next to Paul and Bolton.

Paul and Bolton moved the mouse and Grantlys Gambling site came up.

"Oh Wicked" Paul said

"That is mint" Bolton agreed, Katie and Karla looked over at it and Rachel was soon over to see what all the kids were up to, she saw the screen on Paul and Bolton's machine.

"I'm pretty sure that is not on the curriculum boys" she said as she leaned over and turned the computer back to the generic search engine"

"It's not ours Miss" Paul stuttered "It was on when we were here" he handed her the username and password that was on the desk.

Rachel went to see Eddie and she showed him the username and pass word, she decided it was time for her to give Mr Budgen a formal warning.

Rachel and Eddie went to meet the staff, where Rachel explained her plans, Rachel explained that the classes for the 6th form were cancelled and they would all be entrepreneurs for the day.

Aimee was in her French class sitting at a desk next to Mika, who seemed to be in a bad mood, Aimee was pretty quiet, and as soon as Steph took the register everyone realised she was Mrs Mason's daughter. Steph told the class about the classes being cancelled and the 6th form met in Mr Lawson's maths class.

Mika asked if anyone wanted to go into town, but no one wanted to, so she left, and Aimee joined Max and Janeece where they made their Photography Business.

Chlo at the mean time, was out with Lucy, she was being pressured into stealing from shops, and even got caught by the police, she was arrested and taken to the police station where she was cautioned.

Aimee, Jan and Max, went around the school, taking photos of teachers, when they were not looking, she was getting on with them, although they thought she was a bit posh.

"So, what's it like, having your Mum as your headteacher?" Janeece asked

"I don't know yet, It's been less than a day" Aimee replied.

"Its not so bad" Maxine said "I get on with Steph.. Miss Haydock OK, and Chlo and Mika get on with Mr Clarkson fine at school"

"I didn't know there are others here with parents working at the school" Aimee said, "at least its not the head though, at my old school my Dad was my Chemistry teacher, and it was a bit of a pain sometimes, but it was OK, I got used to it" Aimee added

"Is your Dad coming here to work too?" Maxine asked.

"No, he died 6 months ago" Aimee said, hoping it would be the end of the subject

"Mika and Chlo, their Mum died during the summer, she was murdered" Janeece said.

The Girls were all walking back to Mr Lawson's Maths class, to edit and print their photos.

"That's a shame," she said, she wanted to change the subject away from her family, so she thought about asking a question. "What happened to Chlo?" Aimee asked.

"She ran away" Max said

"Yeah, cos she and Mika fell out" Janeece added.

"My sister and I fall out all the time, but I can't imagine her doing anything so bad I would run away" Aimee said.

"Well, it was Chlo that done the bad thing, she slept with Mikas boyfriend, Brett, the posh guy doing the newspaper" Janeece explained.

"God, that is the ultimate betrayal" Aimee said, and the headed into the class room.

Rachel was going around the class looking at the kid's projects when she got to the group her daughter was in.

"So, how is the photography company coming?" Rachel asked.

"Fine" Aimee said moodily.

"Its good miss, we are just finishing our portfolio".

Tom got a call from the police explaining that Chlo had been arrested, he ran to Eddies Maths class.

"Rachel, I just got a call from the police, Chlo's been arrested, is their anyway I can go?" he asked.

"Of course, go" Rachel replied.

"No Mika?" Tom asked Eddie and Rachel

"No" Eddie replied "But if we see her, we'll let her know"

The presentations started and Jan and Max seemed to have a great chemistry, Aimee felt like a gooseberry she wished she was at home in London at her old school with her old friends and Boyfriend.

Next was the newspaper team, Brett stood to give his presentation?

"The snapper is aimed at getting to the heart of issues that really matter to its readers, you know Idle tittle tattle, goings on"

"Tittle tatlle" Mika said from the doorway, clearly looking drunk

"Eh the school newspaper will be available" Brett started to say.

"Ill give you tittle tattle for your little ego trip" Mika interrupted.

Eddie was whispering to Rachel in the corner trying to fill her in on the story between them, but she wasn't listening, all she was concerned with was getting Mika out of the class, and into her office to phone her parents.

"Excuse me what are you doing" Rachel calmly calls to Mika

"Eh well there it is" Brett says

"How's this for your headline, posh egomaniac screws girlfriends sister"

"I'll deal with this" Eddie says, but Rachel pulls him back.

"No you will not, I'll deal with it" Rachel replies annoyed

"My sisters missing cos of you, she could be dead, and all you care about is showing how clever you are with some poxy school newspaper"

Rachel tries to calm Mika.

"Who the hell are you" Mika says

"I'm your headmistress and you an ex pupil" Rachel replies.

"Look, Ill sort this I know the history" Eddie interjects, just as Mika throws up on Rachel.

The class all look in Awe, Aimee wants to laugh so much, she and her Mum hadn't been getting on great, but this had to be the funniest thing she had seen in ages.

"Let's get you some air" Eddie says, as he takes Mika away, and Rachel follows to get cleaned up.

Rachel returns to her office to find Mika, on the couch sleeping, she asks Eddie to come out.

"What the hell were you playing at, don't ever undermine me like that in front of pupils again, I'm perfectly capable of handling" Rachel said before Eddie interrupted.

"Listen, I know the history that's all, that girl lost her mother 6 months ago, she's Chlo Grangers sister, I wasn't trying to undermine you"

"I'm sorry" Rachel apologised

Rachel suddenly felt guilty, she had threatened to expel Mika, but in reality, the girl had went through the same thing as her own two daughters, both losing a parent 6 months ago, and she knew the sadness and insecurity her own daughters were feeling. Aimee, had been playing up and acting out, she was just a year younger than Mika.

Rachel went into see Mika who was lying on her couch.

"Mika love, can you hear me" Rachel said as she knelt down next to the troubled child. "What have you had to drink?"

"A bottle of vodka" Mika replied drowsily.

"Ohh" Rachel replied looking to Eddie who took his mobile out to ring.

"Thanks Eddie, I'm going to stay here, can you sort out the prize giving, and I can trust you to pick the winners"

"Course" Eddie said and left the room.

"You'll be all right my love" Rachel said to Mika whilst putting a cushion under her head "Might have a sore head in the morning, but we've all been there"

"I'm so sorry" Mika said

"Hay, chalk it up to Experience" Rachel said, "You always feel better after being sick" she added laughing slightly.

Mika was absolutely mortified, she was so embarrassed. "I can't believe I did that" she said

"Its OK, you made a mistake, but your going to get through it, I've got good news, Toms gone to pick up Chlo"

Suddenly Mika's world brightened, of course she was angry with her sister, but she loved her so much, and missed her so much, she just wanted her back.

School finished, and Aimee and Holly found their way their Mothers office.

Mika was no longer lying on the couch, but was just leaving to meet Tom and Chlo.

"Hay girls, how was your day?" Rachel asked her 2 daughters.

"Fine" Aimee replied. Rachel did not expect anymore than that from her eldest daughter at the moment, one word answers were about all she gave her.

"What about you Holly?"

"It was fine Mum, except everyone says I'm posh am I" Holly said

"Yeah, your so stuck up" Aimee said.

Rachel looked out her window and seen Tom arrive with Chlo, she watched as the 3 of them had a happy, but tearful reunion, she couldn't help but let a tear escape her eye. Holly could see this, and gave her Mum a hug, she knew this move was hard on her Mother too, and one of the main reasons for the move was the constant reminders at home of her father.

"Mum, what's wrong?" Holly asked.

"Nothing sweetheart, how about we get home and have some dinner" Rachel says.

**Please Review, I know it was kind of just stolen from the episode, but I was trying to introduce the new characters and set where the story was starting off.**


	3. Dreams

**Thanks to the people that reviewed, I'm Glad you liked it.**

**I don't own Waterloo Road.**

Rachel was getting stuck into the new school curriculum, they only had 5 weeks to get things ready, and to be honest if she was thinking about Waterloo Road, she would not be thinking about her Husband.

Holly was still very upset and sensitive, she had been closest to her father out of Rachel's daughters, and had taken his death the worst, she had been there when he died, and still had nightmares about what she had seen.

It was Thursday afternoon, Rachel and her daughters were getting out of her car after leaving school.

"It's not fair Mum, why do we have to get stuck at school till 4 pm" Aimee whined.

"Because, I had a meeting with someone's parents" Rachel reasoned as she walked to the front door

"That's not my fault, it's like being in detention every day" she whined again

"Yeah, and I missed Hannah Montanna" Holly added

"Your way too old for that, you big baby" Aimee said teasingly to her sister

"I'm not" Holly replied back.

"Eh, Yeah you are, I'm sure Aleesha and Danielle won't think its cool when I tell them, or better yet, Bolton, Paul and Dom, I'm sure they would love to know how you watch Hannah Montanna"

"Mum, Aimee is annoying me" Holly said

"Aimee, that is enough, stop teasing your sister" Rachel scolded.

Aimee made a face at her sister and they walked into the house, Holly lifted the remote control to the TV to watch the Wizards of Waverly Place, she had just put it on and sat on the couch when the door rang.

"Girls, can one of you get the door!" Rachel shouted from the kitchen.

"You get it" Holly said to her sister "I'm watching TV"

"No way, you get it" Aimee replied. Holly didn't want to get up, she knew her sister would change channels to something else.

"No you get it" Holly said, the argument continued for a few minutes.

Rachel was waiting patiently and she didn't hear anyone go to the door.

"I'll go myself then" she mumbled to herself. She answered the door, and seen Eddie standing behind it.

"Hi, you wanted to go over the new Year 10 and 11 Timetable"

Rachel had completely forgotten about her invite to Eddie yesterday. She looked down and realised that she was wearing an apron.

Eddie looked at Rachel's face.

"Yep of course, come in"

"You do know you have tomato sauce on your face" he said pointing to her cheek.

"Oh" Rachel said slightly embarrassed, she lifted the Apron and wiped her cheek.

"I'm not much of a domestic Goddess" she said jokingly, "Come on in" she offered politely, and they walked to the living room where Aimee and Holly were.

"You get the door Holly, I'm older" Aimee ordered

"Yeah, what's that got to do with it" Holly argued back.

"Lets go into the kitchen" Rachel whispered to Eddie, "See how long it takes one of them to realise that I got the door".

"You get it, or I might just let slip at school about how much of a cry baby you are, what would everyone in your class think if they knew you slept in your Mummy's bed"

Holly didn't want anyone to know that, she hated the fact that she couldn't sleep in her own bed; she just had bad dreams when she was alone, it was always the same dream, well not so much a dream as a memory, but it still upset her every time she tried to sleep in her own bed. Rachel was there for her Daughter, but she knew that the longer Holly stayed in her bed, the harder it would be for her, but she hated when she got so upset. They had made a deal that when they moved to their new house, that would be the end of it, but Holly just got upset and scared when she was alone.

"Fine, I'll get it" Holly said, and Aimee loved how she could so easily blackmail and manipulate her younger sister.

Holly got to the door 5 minutes after it had rang and opened it, not realising that her Mum had already let their visitor in. She walked to the kitchen; the smell was lovely her Mum was making Lasagne for dinner "Great she thought, it's full of crabs".

"Mum, there was no one at the door" Holly said as she walked though, suddenly she seen Mr Lawson.

"There was, you both just took so long to answer it" she reminded her youngest daughter.

"How long till Dinners ready, I'm Hungry?" she asked.

"About an hour" Rachel replied

Holly opened the pantry door and took a packet of cheese and onion crisps.

"Holly, what are you doing, put them back" Rachel said firmly.

She put the crisps away, "but I'm hungry" she moaned. Her Mother took an apple from the fruit bowl and handed it to her youngest Daughter.

"I don't want an apple" Holly replied

"Then you can't be that Hungry"

She took the apple and went back into the living room where she found her older sister and had turned the TV to one of the music channels.

"Aimee, I was watching that" Holly said as she entered the room.

"Tough luck, you left the room" Aimee said

"But, I want to know what happens at the end"

"Cry Baby" Aimee reminded her little sister, that shut Holly up and she went into the Dining room and started to do her homework. Rachel had no idea about what Aimee was doing to her sister, she always made sure she said thing when their Mother was not around, and Holly was too scared to tell her Mum in case Aimee followed through with her threat.

Rachel and Eddie were sitting at the kitchen table discussing the new timetables, Rachel wanted to move a few classes around so they could fit in some of the other classes for the 6th form, this meant a change for everyone. Suddenly the Oven beeped. Rachel called her daughters in.

"I'm going to eat mines in the living room" Aimee said, "home and away is on"

"No", Rachel said, "at the Kitchen table please, can one of you set the table"

Aimee simply had to look at Holly who walked to the cutlery drawer.

"Thanks Love" Rachel said to her youngest daughter.

"Mum, I promise I'll be careful not to spill any on the sofa, Please can I eat in the living room" Aimee asked again, Rachel had got a new sofa for the new house, and she was rather protective of it.

"No, in here Aimee" Rachel said again.

Once the table was set, Rachel and her kids sat with Eddie at the dinner table.

"This is great Rachel" Eddie said "My compliments to the chef"

"Thanks" she replied slightly blushing. "So, how was everyone's day?" Rachel asked directing the question to her two daughters "And can I have more than a one word answer please"

"It was fine Mum, their that's 4 words" Aimee said

"Yep, fine" Holly said whilst picking at her food.

"Holly what's wrong?" Rachel asked with concern in her voice.

"Nothings wrong" she answered sharply

"Holly, for someone who was starving an hour ago, you have barley touched your dinner"

"I'm not hungry anymore, I had a big lunch" she lied to her mother

"You barley ate anything at lunch" Rachel said, she had been closely monitoring her youngest daughters diet for the past year, even before their Father died, and Holly had been eating less and less, and was getting thinner and thinner. That was another reason for their Move to Rochdale, there were some kids at their Last school who thought it was too cool to be really thin, and Rachel wanted her away from there.

"Is that why we need to go to Waterloo Road, so you can spy on me" Holly angrily said to her mother. She got up from her chair and ran upstairs.

Rachel leaned back in her chair, her Daughter had in fact hit the nail on the head, it would be more appropriate for a Heads kids to go to a different school, but she wanted the girls close by just now.

Aimee had quickly finished her dinner and swiftly left the Kitchen.

"I'm sorry about that Eddie; you must think I am a terrible Mother"

"No, I don't think that at all" he replied, he was a little sad and ashamed that he had not seen his own son for almost a year, and had no right to call anyone a bad parent.

"Do you want me to go, we can sort this another time" He added.

"No, stay, that's an almost nightly occurrence, don't worry about it" Rachel replied.

"Tell me if I'm sticking my nose in, but is she on a PSP?" Eddie asked

"In her last school yes, but I just don't trust Steph enough to help, I think she could go making things a hell of a lot worse" Rachel answered honestly.

"I think you might be surprised, I know she's not the greatest teacher, but she really does care about the welfare of the Students"

"Holly is a very troubled girl at the moment, we have tried counselling, but it's just not been helpful, she doesn't like opening up to people.

Eddie and Rachel continued to sort the timetables, Holly was upstairs trying to read, but she had so much more on her mind, and Aimee was watching TV, there was nothing really on, just some re runs of Friends.

Holly had been upstairs for a good while now, and was really thirsty, she had already had a bath and got ready for her bed, she was sure Eddie would be gone by now. She walked downstairs and into the kitchen to get a drink.

"Look at the time" Eddie said, looking at his watch, its after 9, just as Holly came in.

"So it is" Rachel said, she had completely lost track of time. She looked at her youngest daughter; it had been obvious she had been crying.

"Its time for bed Love" Rachel said, after Holly had a drink.

"OK Mum, good night" she said as she hugged her Mum, Rachel held her tight and whispered to her. "Are you going to be a brave girl and go to your own bed"? Holly nodded her head at her Mother.

"OK, I'll try", she really didn't want to, but was left with little choice.

"Good girl" Rachel said.

"Good night Mr Lawson" Holly said to her teacher and went up the stairs and followed them round to her room.

Rachel got up and went into the Living room where Aimee was texting someone, more than likely Joseph her boyfriend from home.

"Its nearly time for bed Love, you have half an hour" Rachel reminded her eldest daughter.

"Mum, Chlo doesn't have to be in bed for 10", Aimee whined. She didn't know if it was true or not, but she was pretty sure she didn't.

"Well that's up to Mr Clarkson, in his house it's his rules, and in mines, it's my rules" Rachel said.

"Actually it's Chlo and Mikas house, their Mum left it to them in her Will, they got a house, and what did me and Holly get"

Rachel was getting angry at her daughter "Their situation was different, and you know perfectly well that your father left you and your sister Money, but you have not to get it until you are 21" she said before returning to Eddie in the kitchen, they were almost finished, and the second bottle of wine was opened.

Suddenly Holly screamed from up stairs, she sounded terrified.

"How am I suppose to sleep with that noise" Aimee said, unsympathetically as she was about to go upstairs.

A couple of seconds later and Holly was downstairs before Rachel had a chance to get up, she didn't even remember Eddie was at her house.

"Mum" Holly said as she entered the Kitchen.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Holly nodded and sat on her Mums knee with her arms around her neck. She nodded and held tighter to her Mum.

"I'm sorry" she said.

"It's OK, it's not your fault Honey, why don't you go back up "

"Mum, can I sleep with you tonight?" Holly asked, Rachel nodded and watched as her daughter went up stairs.

"I'm sorry Eddie, you didn't need to see that, she doesn't normally fall asleep so quickly, if she has nightmare it's not usually till much later"

"Don't worry about me Rachel, do you know what the bad dreams are about"

"Yes, its more of a bad memory than a bad dream, do you know what happened to my husband"

Eddie shook his head, he did know that Rachel was alone with the girls, but assumed she got divorced.

"On the first week of the summer holidays, this year, Holly, Trevor and I went climbing with one of Trevor's friends, we were climbing Stac Pollaidh a mountain in Northern Scotland, we have all climbed much harder mountains several times before, and everyone knew what to do. Anyway, at the top of the Mountain, you have to do some Rock Climbing to get to the top. Trevor's friend Frank was the most experienced climber so he went first to the top to secure the ropes, so the rest of us could get up. He got to the top first, and attached two roped, I belayed for Holly from the bottom and Frank from the top for Trevor, the tree the rope was secured to at the top, it just wasn't strong enough, it was fine when Trevor was supporting himself on the rocks, but his foot slipped on a loose rock, and he fell to the bottom and died instantly, Holly was a few feet below him when he fell. She has been remembers the whole thing, and can't get it out of her head" Rachel said.

"That is awful, poor Girl" Eddie sympathized.

"It was an awful accident, the tree have been used as an anchor before, there were ropes and things left at it, and other people we knew had used it, Holly's rope was on the same tree, she was about 50 foot up, it took everything she had to stay up there and not to move. Trevor climbed down and got her, she was in so much shock, she nearly came down too.

"That must have been awful" Eddie said.

"It was, Holly loved Climbing, more so than Aimee, but she's not even been to a wall since then, I know she misses it, but she's scared to go back, and I'm not surprised, but I feel maybe it would be better for her to give it ago again, anyway, I'm rabbiting on, and its getting late" Rachel said.

"Don't worry, you know if you want to talk, I'm here" Eddie offered.

"Thanks, look no one knows about Trevor, Aimee and Holly, they don't like talking about it"

"Don't worry, I won't say a word."

"Thanks Eddie"

Eddie left, and Rachel went upstairs to check on her 2 daughters, Aimee was already fast asleep and Holly was in Rachel's room still awake.

"Mum, I'm sorry, I didn't know Mr Lawson was in"

"Don't worry about that darling, are you OK"

"I'm scared, I don't want to be like this anymore, I want to be able to sleep in my own bed, and to not have to have those dreams when im on my own."

"I know baby, maybe it would help if we went to see another counsellor"

"No Mum, they make it worse, I'm just tired, that's all" Holly said.

Rachel got ready for bed, and fell asleep with her daughter next to her.


	4. A day at Waterloo Road

**Thanks for your Reviews**

**Chapter 3**

A week had passed and Rachel was slowly getting into the way of things at Waterloo Road, she was getting to know some of the pupils, especially Paul Langley, Bolton Smilie, and their little gang.

Holly was no better, she had made a couple of Friends in Danielle, Aleesha, and Sally.

She was sitting in her Form class next to Sally.

"whats up?" holly asked Sally

"Wilding took my phone off me, it's going to your Mum's office"

"Oh, well you can use mine, so long as you don't get caught with it, I'm not supposed to bring it to school" Holly offered.

"Thanks" Sally replied.

Sally tried to get out of class by saying she had womans troubles, but the rest of the class found it hilarious, and Matt didn't fall for it.

Eddie was away with the year 10 trouble makers on a trip for a few days leaving Rachel in charge on her own for the first time.

Mika had become really good friends with Aimee, she knew all about what went on with Brett, but Mika and Chlo had made up for Toms sakes. It was today that Donte was back from his temporary exclusion, Rachel wanted to make sure that they were going to try and get on together, so she called them all to her office.

At break Sally asked to borrow hollys phone, she gave her it and tried to call Tracy the babysitter, but couldn't get a hold of her, eventually the bell went and Sally decided to go home to make sure Ben was OK, Rachel spotted her and went after her brining her back to school,

Later that day it came out that Ben and Sally had been left alone,

It was Lunch time and Holly was sitting with Danielle and Aleesha, they were eating salads and Holly had a glass of water in front of her.

"Are you not going to eat anything?" Danielle asked

"No, I'm not hungry today" Holly replied

"Are you a vampire?" Aleesha asked, "I mean like in twilight, you never eat, and your so pale" she added

"No, I'm just not hungry all right!!" she shouted and stormed off, Rachel seen the whole thing, and was corcenred. She deicided to pay Miss Harker and Miss Dillon a visit.

"Girls, what was that about?" Rachel asked

"Nothing Miss" they replied in unison, Rachel was certain it was not nothing, she was worried about Holly

"Girls, please, I'm not blaming you"

"She never eats, and she just lost it when we asked her if she was hungry"

"Thanks Girls" Rachel replied and went to try and find her Daughter.

She walked out of the Canteen and found her eldest daughter wearing an outfit which did not resemble school uniform in the slightest, she had black jeans, high boots and a sparkly top on.

"Eh, just where do you think you are going to dressed like that?" Rachel asked her daughter

"It's lunch time, I can wear what I like" Aimee replied, Rachel raised an eyebrow to show she was not amused with that answer.

"My office" Rachel said sternly

Her Daughter followed her

"But Miss Mason" Janeece called back, "it's for our photos"

"Yeah Mum, it's for our Photos" her daughter agreeded. Rachel knew it was for no such thing, they hadn't been doing that project all week. Once they got to the office Rachel was furious, she knew exactly what her Daughter had been planning on doing.

"Aunt Mel called" Rachel said, "She told me you were going to stay with her tonight, I apparently knew about it" she added whilst pacing her office

"I wanted to see Joseph" she said in her defense

"That is no excuse, do I have to ground you Aimee"

"No, Mum, I'm sorry, but I miss him"

Rachel knew she missed her boyfriend, but to be perfectly honest she was glad she was away from him, he was a bit of a bad boy, and Rachel was worried about the trouble she would get into with him.

"I know, but please, try and make a life here, Holly, needs to be away from London, from your old school" Rachel said.

"Yeah, well, I'm not Holly, and she is the only one you care about" Aimee screamed "You want Holly to be happy, your happy flirting with Mr Lawson, and I'm stuck here without Joseph or my Dad, and I hate it" she shouted before running out of the class.

What did she mean, she didn't flirt with Eddie, or did she, she didn't do it intentionally. She still loved Trevor, and she had to make sure that she didn't lead Eddie on.

**Sorry this chapter is crap, I have a splitting headache, and really wanted to get it finished. Hope it's OK**


	5. Palentology

**Thanks for your Reviews**

**Chapter 4**

"Miss Mason" Rachel heard coming from the other end of the corridor and soon seen Janeece running down the corridor, it was very common to hear Janeece before you could see her.

"Janeece what's wrong?" Rachel asked as she sensed the urgency in her words and the running towards her at light speed.

"Nothings wrong, I just wanted to ask if we can do an archaeological dig on the school play ground" She asked "I was at the Rochdale Cemetery geological trail at the weekend, oh and it was dead interesting, so I thought we have all that land outside, could we not do our own dig"

Rachel was glad that Janeece had found an interest in something other than boys, and makeup, and she didn't want to spoil her enthusiasm.

"Janeece, I thought there was something seriously wrong, the way you ran towards me"

"Sorry Miss" Janeece said, she was sure she wouldn't get to do her dig now.

"OK, if you organise the dig, then yes you can do it, I suggest you speak to Miss Ramsden to see if she has anything you need."

"Aww, Thanks Miss, Im a member of the Greater Manchester geological society, can I ask some of the members too" Janeece beamed excitedly.

"So long as I know exactly who is here, but you must make sure if there are non students around that there is at least on teacher present on site, Ill leave that for you to organise, Oh, and can you ask Holly if she wants to help, I think she would enjoy it?" Rachel asked, hoping it would give her daughter something to do, and the chance to meet new people.

"Yeah Miss, the more the merrier" she said, Rachel made a mental note that she had to check in with Janeece to sort things like risk assessments and other paper work, but she wanted to give Janeece the chance to organise something on a scale like this. It would be good for her.

Janeece ran off to the Geography department to talk to Miss Ramsden

**I googled Rochdales Geology and round the Cememtry trail is real, and there is a Greater Manchester Geological Society. **

**Sorry its so short, I'll try and get more done as soon as I can**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Janeeces big day soon arrived, Holly had agreed to help out on the dig, she thought that it might be fun, and she always loved geology and things like that, she found it interesting although Aimee thought she was a bit of a geek.

Aimee had been in an even worse mood than usual, she was late, which she never was and was worried, she had told her Mum a few weeks ago that she was staying with Janeece, Maxine, Mika and Chlo, but in actual fact she had went to a hotel to meet Joseph, things had gone a little too far, and now she was worried, not so much about being late, or her mum finding out, of course that scared the hell out of her, but she was worried that if her Dad somehow could still see them, that he would be so angry and his daughter.

Holly, was down in the trench which had been dug with Karla and Janeece when suddenly Karla got so excited.

"I have found something," she cried with deep rooted excitement.

"I bet it's a pre Cambrian fossil" Janeece said trying to show off that she knew a few big words, "Oh its something anyway" she said to Karla who grinned in acheivment.

"I'll help you dig it" Holly said excitedly.

Mr Budgen looked over as the 3 girls clambered over the supposed fossil.

"STOP DIGGING" he shouted "Get out of the whole" the girls heard the urgency in his voice and immediately topped digging. "

**Please Review**


	7. Chapter 6

**Thanks for your Reviews.**

**Chapter 6**

Grantly sent the girls inside and went off to find Rachel or Eddie, Holly started to walk to her French class but met her mother on the way.

"Holly, I thought you were at the dig" Rachel asked as she seen her daughter walk down the corridor "And if your not there, you should be in class" she added.

"Chill Mum, we found something cool, don't know what it was, but Mr Budgen lost it and told us to get out of the hole, so now we are all going back to class".

Rachel was intrigued by what the girls had found and wanted to head outside to see.

"Tell you what, why don't we go have a look" Rachel said to her daughter

"But Mr Budgen went mental" she replied to her mother.

"Yeah, your right, I'll go have a look at what you found, and you go to class" Rachel said, knowing her daughter would come with her, normally she would never condone missing class, but there was only 10 minutes left.

Grantly in the mean time was running about the school like a headless chicken searching for Eddie or Rachel. Finally he found Eddie.

Eddie had never seen Grantly look so worried in his life.

"Eddie, you have to come see this, I've never seen anything like it before" Grantly said in shock.

"What is it?" Eddie asked as he followed Grantly out of the school.

"I think it's a dead baby" Grantly said, and Eddie could tell that he was not joking, the 2 men began to run out of the school.

They finally arrived, and Eddie was shocked to see, that it was indeed a dead baby, it broke his heart and reminded him of Stephen his young son who had died a few years ago, but this was not the time or the place for him to be getting upset.

Just then Rachel and Holly made got to the Trench.

"So have our budding palaeontologists found anything of interest?" Rachel asked.

"Holly, can you go to your class please" Eddie said and looked at Rachel, they had the sort of conversation with their eyes that is normally reserved for Parents, but Rachel knew something was up.

"Off you go Holly" Rachel said gently

"But what did we find, I want to see it"

Rachel finally arrived at the hole and looked down.

"Oh my God" she said in shock, this was not what she had envisaged seeing.

"Holly go to class now" Rachel said in a firmer tone, now Holly was just more curious and walked closer to the hole.

"HOLLY, CLASS NOW" Rachel screamed at the young girl did as she was told.

"I'll phone the Police" Rachel said, and she did, soon the entire school was crawling with Police.

Holly made her way to class just as it was finishing up.

"Whats going on" Danielle asked "Karla said you found something"

"Yeah, not got a clue what though, but Mums just about having kittens, Lawson is nearly in tears and Budgens looks like he's seen a ghost"

"Maybe it's something new" Karla said excitedly "Maybe we have discovered something" she added joyfully.

"yeah maybe Karla, won't that be exciting" Aleesha said mockingly.

"I have no idea what it is"

They went to there next class and Holly was surprised when they were taken to the Hall where it was explained what had been found, Holly was in shock, she had touched it, and it was gross, she had touched a dead baby.

The Police started holding interviews in the school and the dig was closed down, Karla was devastated, she really wanted to do the dig, and couldn't understand why.

"They were in English class when Aleesha, Danielle and Holly helped her to write her petition, of course they weren't going to collect signatures, that was Karlas job.

Karla was asking kids, some signed but most just laughed she got to Aimee and asked her.

"What is this, is this a joke?" she screamed at the younger teen.

"No, a joke is meant to be funny" Karla explained seriously

"Well this is sick" Aimee yelled and soon Eddie was over to investigate.

"What is going on here" Eddie asked Aimee

"This" Aimee yelled handing it to Eddie and stormed off. Eddie quickly read it and noticed that there was a lot of big words on it/

"Karla, who wrote this?" Eddie asked

"Holly, Danielle and Aleesha" she replied. Eddie went to find Rachel to show him the bullying that had been going on.

"So, Eddie what are we going to do?" she asked him exasperated after the day she had had.

"I'll deal with the 3 of them" he said and walked off, first he pulled Danielle and Holly out of class and walked them over to the Music class where he pulled Aleesha out.

"This is bullying!" he shouted showing them the petition

"Sorry" Holly said, "but she was upset, we were only trying to help her" she added

"This, is not helping, now explain" he shouted.

"We were only having a laugh at her" Aleesha said.

"How about we put her in a cage and poke a stick at her" Eddie said

"We said we are sorry" Aleesha said.

"You'll be sorry when I'm done with you, you are off Student Council, you are off the Musical, and you are no longer working on the newspaper" he said to the 3 girls.

"But I love the newspaper" Holly said.

"Tough, now get to the cooler, and I want you to apologise to Karla and stay away from her, do you hear"

"Yes Sir" the girls replied in Unison.

Later that day they found that Maxine was the mother of the baby, and she told her story to the girls in 6th From, this upset Aimee, she really knew she would have to talk to someone, but who could she go to.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Rachel Mason was furious with Holly, she was usually such a sweet girl, and bullying was not like her, she was going to have to have a long talk with her youngest daughter.

Aimee met Mika outside the class, needless to say neither of the girls knew the secret that the other had.

"Mika" Aimee said

"Yeah, what's up"

"I need your help, I think I'm pregnant" she said

"What, but, I'm the same, I'm late" Mika said

The girls hugged each other they were both a little glad that they had someone to go through this with.

"Why don't we skip last period" Amiee said, "We should get some tests and do them"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan" Mika agreed and soon enough they were walking into town.

"My Dad, he would have killed me if he was still here" Aimee said.

"Yeah, my Mum as well" Mika agreed. They got into town and bought the tests before going to Aimees house, they both took the tests and sat for what seemed like a long minute.

They both turned there tests over.

"Its negative" Mika said joyfully, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Mines is" Aimee said.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Aimee flipped the test over, and sighed a huge sigh of relief, hers too was negative.

"Thank God for that" Aimee said

The girls hugged they were both so happy.

"My Mum will be home soon, if she asks Brett brought us home" Aimee said, knowing there was no way she would get home from school before her mother and sister.

The girls went and sat downstairs and put the TV on.

Rachel met Holly at 3.15 at the Car, this was the first time she had seen her youngest daughter since this morning, she had had one hell of a day, what with digging up a dead baby, and getting into trouble with Eddie. Rachel wasn't sure how she was going to approach this. Holly was still upset, and nervous, she had made Friends with Danielle and Aleesha, joined the newspaper team and Dancing class, which Rachel thought was great for her to bring her out of her shell a little, but now she was going to have to punish her, and the last thing she wanted to do was to Ground her and ban her from the activates which had been so good for her.

"Hi Honey, how are you feeling?" Rachel asked her youngest daughter as she opened her boot and put her laptop in.

"Like Crap" Holly replied sullenly

"That's enough of that language, don't think I don't know about what happened today with Karla"

"Mum, I apologised, can we just forget it"

"No, we can't just forget it, now where is your sister?" Rachel questioned, by now there were no students left in the yard.

"Don't know" Holly said as she plugged her I pod into the cars audio system and put the new Westlife album on.

Rachel flicked her phone on and called Aimee who told her she was home already, Brett had taken her and Mika to her house.

Rachel excepted this and started the Car, she turned the stereo to have a quick word with Holly.

"When we get home, go upstairs get changed then you and I are going to have a little chat".

Holly said nothing and turned the car Stereo up to the loudest so she could hear the new song.

Rachel and Holly arrived home and walked through the front door of the house and into the Living Room where Mika and Aimee were watching a fashion show on TV.

"Hi Girls" Rachel greeted, "How are you both after today?" she asked.

"OK Miss" Mika said

"Yeah, fine Mum" Aimee replied.

Holly flopped onto the couch and picked her laptop off the table, ready to go online and read some fan fiction, it was hear favourite pass time, reading as well as writing.

"Holly, remember what I said in the car, upstairs and get changed, then we will talk about you behaviour today with Karla and her petition" Rachel said.

"What, your were a part of that, that was sick" Aimee spat spitefully at her younger sister, Holly jumped with fright at her sisters tone.

"That's enough" Rachel warned.

"But, it was sick, shes a little troublemaker, do you see it now, she should be grounded for ages" Aimee continued.

"Aimee, leave the recriminations to me," Rachel said as she turned to her youngest daughter who was almost in tear as she sat on the couch listening to the harsh words from her sister.

"Holly, upstairs" Rachel said one last time to her daughter, who finally done as she was told.

Holly ran upstairs, why was her sister always so horrible too her, she had never done anything to hurt her, but Aimee was always so spiteful, she knew that she missed Joseph, and Holly missed her friends too, but she was a bit happier here.

She was eating a little more, and had put on a bit of weight, she felt as though she had more energy and was happier for it, as was Rachel, she had noticed the change in her daughter over the past couple of weeks.

She changed out of her uniform and put on a pair of purple leggings, her denim skirt and a pink top. Just as she was changed, Rachel knocked on her door, and walked into her daughters room.

"All right Love, let's get this over with" Rachel said, knowing that Holly would want this to be overwith as soon as possible, she never did well with being given criticisim in any way.

Rachel sat on the bed with her daughter next to her.

"Do you want to tell me what happened today?" Rachel asked

"Mum, you know what happened, I dug up a dead baby" Holly said as she started to cry.

"I touched it Mum, and it was bones, I didn't know it was, what it was"

Holly fell into her Mums arms and cried, this wasn't what Rachel really wanted to talk to Holly about, but it was important, and she was visibly upset .

"I know baby, I know, if you can, I want you to try and forget it, can you try that, hmmm, try and be a brave girl for me"

Holly came out from her Mothers arms and smiled.

"I'll try Mum, and I'm sorry for what we did to Karla, I know it was wrong what I did"

"Who's idea was the petition?" Rachel asked

"I can't tell you Mum"

"I promise, I won't mention it to Eddie, he is dealing with this, not me, right now, I'm Mum, not Mrs Mason"

"It was Aleeshas idea, I just went along with it" Holly said "Mum, I'm I grounded"

"No love, but I do want you to write me an essay, about Aspergers Syndrome, and why what you done to Karla was wrong"

"OK Mum, Thanks, for not going ape"

Holly cuddled her Mother and they stayed like that for a few minutes, before Rachel went downstairs to make dinner.

Rachel went downstairs to make dinner, and she wanted to have a word with Mika before she went, she found her with her own daughter in the living room.

"Mika, can I have a word please" Rachel said, as she walked into the living room.

"Yeah" Mika said curiously wondering what her headmistress wanted

"I was wondering, if there is anyway, you would reconsider being in Parkside Story, now Aleesha is out of it"

"You mean work with Brett?"

"Yes, you said he gave you a lift here, the two of you must be getting on better" Rachel concluded.

Mika could hardly say no now, or Miss Mason would know she ditched, what would be the lesser of the 2 evils, getting busted or working with Brett.

"I don't know Miss, I mean, its so soon"

"I know Mika, but it would be a great help" Rachel smiled at the teen, and finally Mika agreed, she would star in Parkside Story, in only a week.

"Thank you so much," Rachel said, "I owe you".

Rachel left to head for the kitchen, and Mika went home, she text Brett, to tell him her news, she secretly still did like him.

Dinner was soon ready, and the 3 Mason's were sitting at the kitchen table eating Chicken. None of the girls were talking to start with, and Rachel hated the silence.

"So, Aimee, what do you have planned for tonight?" Rachel asked

"Don't know Mum, might just skype Lucy"

Lucy was Aimees best friend from home, they kept in regular contact. Suddenly the doorbell rang, Aimee got up to get it, thinking it would be Mika having left something, but was surprised to find Mr Lawson at the door.

"Hi Sir" she said

"Aimee, is your Mum in?" he asked

"Yeah, in the Kitchen, on you go through"

Eddie followed Aimee into the kitchen where they were eating their Dinner.

"Oh, Hi Eddie" Rachel said surprised she wasn't expecting him. Holly could barley look at him, she was embarrassed about what she had done earlier that day.

"I went to put that report about today's Bullying incident in your office, and noticed you left this" he said, handing Rachel her purse

"Oh, Thanks, would be in a tizz if I lost that"

Holly got more embarrassed, she knew the Bullying indident he was talking about, was the one she was involved in.

"Mum, can I go out after Dinner" Aimee asked "Just out with Mika, Chlo, Jan and Max" she added before Rachel could ask.

"Yeah, as long as your in for 10"

"Thanks, I'll skype Lucy tomorrow"

"Eddie do you want some dinner" Rachel asked, and soon he was eating with the Mason family. Holly was still silent, and just picking at her food.

"Holls, what's up, your being awful quiet" Rachel asked her youngest daughter with concern.

"I'm fine" she said meekly without even looking up at anyone around the table.

"She's embarrassed, a bully and a modern day Birk and Hare, you know the Grave diggers, you must be so proud Mum"

Holly jumped from her seat and knocked over the contents of her plate onto the floor, before Running out of the room.

"Holly," Rachel shouted for her Daughter to come back, but instead she ran out into the Garden.

"Aimee, go and finish your dinner in your room" Rachel shouted as she went after her little girl.

Eddie didn't know what to do, should he say something to Aimee, or leave it to Rachel.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Holly didn't know where she could go, she just had to get away from her sister, she didn't know why Aimee was so awful to her, well that wasn't true, she knew the reason, and she hated herself for it too, after all it was her fault.

She ran down the street, round the corner in the soaking wet rain, and found herself in the Park, she sat at the base of a tree, and cried, what else could she do, she couldn't go home, not with Aimee there. Aimee was right though and Holly didn't know anyway she could put it right.

Eddie was clearing up the plates in the kitchen, when Rachel came running into the house franticly.

"Eddie, I have no idea where she went" she screamed when a rush of panic waved over her.

"OK, I'll take my car and go down the street, you go up, she can't have got to far" he said rationally. Rachel excepted this plan, and grabbed her car keys, ready to go out. When Aimee came wondering down the stairs, dressed up for going out.

"Aimee, where do you think your going" Rachel said angrily to her eldest daughter

"Out obviously" she replied back.

"Not a chance, get upstairs and stay in your room, and if your sister comes back apologise, do I make myself clear"

"But, Mum, come on, it's not my fault if she can't take a joke is it"

Rachel glared at her eldest daughter

"That was not a joke, it was a spiteful act of hatred, I don't know what is going on with you two, but when I find your sister I am going to get to the bottom of it, now Get upstairs and don't even think about leaving your room" Rachel practically shouted, she had been trying to keep calm, but it wasn't working. Eddie had already left the house on his search for Holly, Rachel followed Suit and got into her car and began to drive.

Eddie Lawson was driving round and round the area, Holly was no where to be seen, he drove past the park, and decided to try there. He parked the car and walked into the main gates, he walked round the park until he heard someone sobbing, he walked over and seen a pair of pink Uggs, he knew this had to be Holly.

"Holly, Darling, are you OK" Eddie asked, he looked at the girl who seemed a lot younger than her 14 years.

"Mr Lawson, what are you doing here?" Holly asked through her sobs.

"I'm looking for you, we are worried about you" Eddie replied

"Why, I did something wrong, this is God punishing me" she answered

"Holly, is this about what happened today in school?"

"You gave me into trouble" Holly said, "you must hate me"

"I don't hate you, look, its wet, come with me to the car, your already soaked through"

"No, I'm fine here" she replied even though she was still wearing purple leggings, at thin T shirt and her pink Uggs.

"I don't hate you Holly, and to be honest me giving you into trouble is not worth you getting this upset about, I'm not worth all these tears"

"But, I done something Bad" she said

"I know, but we all make mistakes, and you know not to do it again, don't you"

Holly nodded, she was starting to get cold and a little hungry, she had barley touched her dinner.

"Lets go home then" she said, and Eddie smiled.

He put his hand out, and she took it so he could help her out. On the way to the car he took his phone out, and called Rachel.

"_Rach, Hi, I've found her, just going to bring her home"_

"_Thanks God Eddie, is she OK"_

"_She's fine, nothing a nice hot bath and early night won't solve"_

"_OK, I'll get you back at the house, and Thanks again"_

They arrived at the car and Eddie put the heating on full, Holly must have been frozen.

"My Mum's going to kill me" Holly said

"I'm sure she won't, she'll be glad your OK"

"I know, but my boots, they are soaked and muddy, they cost her a fortune"

Eddie laughed, what was it with Woman and shoes.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 **

Rachel arrived home before Eddie and Holly, she walked into the house and could hear the distinct theme tune of Eastenders coming from the living room, as expected her eldest daughter was sitting on the couch, with her eyes glued to the TV, Aimee didn't even notice her Mother come in.

"Aimee, I told you to stay in your room!!" Rachel shouted

"Yeah, Whatever" Aimee said.

Rachel walked over to the TV and turned it off.

"Get upstairs now, and stay there until I tell you that you can come down"

"No, I'm 16, you can't tell me what to do"

"Fine, but it works both ways Aimee, if I can't tell you what to do, then don't think I'll be cleaning up after you"

"Fine" Aimee replied before she put the TV back on.

Rachel didn't want to do this to her daughter, but she had to learn a valuable lesson, so until further notice, Aimee was on her own.

Eddie and Holly finally arrived Home, Rachel had already run a bath for her daughter, got her pyjamas ready and was about to make hot chocolate.

"Mum" Holly shouted as she ran into the Kitchen. Rachel opened her arms and she practically threw herself into them.

"I'm sorry Mum,"

"It's OK Baby" Rachel said as she rubbed her hand up and down her daughters frozen arms.

"Go up stairs, theres a bath ready and pyjamas in the bathroom"

Holly walked upstairs and Rachel looked at Eddie, he too was soaked through.

"Eddie, I'll get you something dry to wear" Rachel said

"I'm Ok Rachel"

"But your soaking, at least let me get you a dry shirt, Trevor was about the same size as you"

Rachel walked upstairs and got Eddie some clothes of Trevor's, she really had to get this stuff down to the charity shop, it was just taking up room in her wardrobe. She handed him a shirt and some trousers.

"Rachel, are you sure this is OK, I mean with the girls as well"

"Yeah, its not like Trevor's going to wear them again, and I'm sure the girls won't even notice.

Eddie came downstairs dressed in Trevors clothes, he felt odd wearing a dead mans clothes, but he was a little worried about what Holly and Aimee would think. Trevor was tall like Eddie, and they were a prefect fit. Rachel wasn't expecting to get emotional, but when she seen Eddie wearing Trevors clothes, it did get her a little upset.

"Rachel, are you OK" Eddie asked when he sensed Rachel was upset.

"Yeah, I'm fine, they fit well" she said.

Eddie sat down at the kitchen table next to Rachel

"It's been a tough day" he said, she agreed with him.

"Eddie you seemed a little upset earlier, I mean a dead baby gets us all upset, but you seemed worse"

"It just reminded me of my son, that's all"

"You have a son, I didn't know"

"The truth is I have two sons"

Eddie explained to Rachel about Stephen and Michael, she had no idea that Eddie had any children, let alone, a son, dead son and ex wife, she thought she should try and help him, afterall, he had helped her.

"Rachel, I better to, I'll let you and Holly talk"

Rachel smiled and Eddie left.

Holly came down to the kitchen once she was out of the bath, she felt more relaxed and was starting to feel a little hungry. She smiled at her Mother who was sitting at the Kitchen table reading a report on her laptop.

"Hi Bunny" Rachel said to her youngest daughter

"Mum, I'm Sorry" Holly said again.

"Honey, you don't have to apologise again" Rachel said

"I know, but what I done to Karla was really bad, I looked up Aspergers before Dinner, and I feel so guilty"

"Come and sit down Honey"

Holly sat on the seat next to her Mother, Rachel leaned over and took her Hand.

"Im Glad that you know it was wrong, and I'm confident that you won't make a mistake like that, but I don't want to hear about today again, as far as I'm concerned it was a mistake and it's been dealt with, Hmmm"

Holly nodded at her Mother as Rachel hugged her.

"Now, how about some hot chocolate and toast?" Rachel asked

"Yes please Mum" Holly smiled .

The two of them were sitting drinking their chocolate when Aimee came into the Kitchen.

"Aimee" Rachel said, "Is there anything you want to say to your sister" Rachel said, hoping that she would apologise, but no such luck.

"Not really Mum, Did you make me any Hot chocolate?" she asked

"Nope, your 16 remember"

"Fine, I'll go into Town and get one from Costa" she replied. Rachel didn't say anything, but wondered what Aimee would do when she ran out of money.

Aimee, left and walked into Town.

Holly went into the living room to go on her laptop and Rachel followed her in, soon they were sitting next to one another on the couch.

"Honey, what is going on with you and Aimee" Rachel asked

"Nothing Mum, honestly, she's just a bit moody"

"I know she is, I don't know what is up with her, but if she upsets you again, I want you to tell me"

"I will Mum" Holly said, of course she wouldn't though, but she hoped Aimee would be nicer now.

Later that nigh, Holly was reading 13 reasons Why in the Living room whilst Rachel sat on the opposite Couch with her laptop opened, there was a lot of paperwork to do about todays incident, not to mention the sexual healt programme she wanted to install in the school.

Rachel looked at the clock it was 10.30pm, way later than she realised.

"Holly honey, it's time for bed" Rachel said

"Mum, can I sleep in yours tonight"

Holly had been good for the past few days, she hadn't had any bad dreams and had managed to sleep in her own bed for a few nights in a row, all night. Rachel didn't want her going backwards, so she said no.

"But, Mum please"

Rachel sat next to her on the Couch, "Darling, you're a big girl now, and you promised me that you would try and be brave"

"OK Mum, night night" Holly gave her Mum a good night kiss and went up to her room, she got into bed, and surprisingly fell asleep very quickly.

Rachel got back to her laptop, Aimee was still not home, and Rachel was letting her do whatever she wanted, it was her way of teaching her that she was not an adult, she just hoped that it wasn't going to backfire.

She got upstairs and got ready for bed, Aimee still was not in, she was beginning to get worried it was after 11pm now, when her mobile rang, it was Tom Clarkson.

"Hi Tom, is everything OK"

"Yeah, Rachel, is Mika with you, she's not home yet"

"Aimees out too, do you think their together"

"Yeah, I know they are Aimee was round earlier, she and Mika were going somewhere"

"All right, well if I hear from her I'll let you know" Rachel said and Tom offered to do the same.

It was 2am when Aimee came home, Rachel pretended to be asleep, her daughter was falling into a trap, she would soon be begging for Rachel to mother her.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 Part 1**

The next morning Rachel was up early, she was investigation Alison Lawson, and finally found what she was looking for her phone number, this was how she was going to help Eddie.

It was still early when Holly had woke up, it was the best sleep she had had in a long time, and quickly got ready for school before going downstairs.

"Good Morning Princess" Rachel said whilst kissing her youngest daughter on the head.

"Morning Mum" she replied whilst pouring out cereal into a bowl followed by some milk. Rachel got the orange juice out and poured two glasses one for her, and one for her daughter.

"So, what have you got today?" Rachel asked.

"French, Biology, PE, Maths, English and Geography" Holly said.

"Oh, Geography, forgot to mention Miss Ramsden won't be in this Afternoon, so you have me to cover"

Rachel was a Geography teacher by trade, that was the subject she had done her BSc in years earlier, and she did sometimes miss actual teaching.

"Great" Holly said

"So, get me up to speed, what have you been doing?" Rachel asked

"Learning about settlement and Industry, boring, I know" Holly replied whilst getting up and putting her Breakfast plates into the sink.

Rachel done the dishes and Holly went into the Living Room to check her fan fics, to see if anyone had commented on her latest chapters.

"Mum" Holly shouted, "Is Aimee not coming to school?"

"No, Honey, she can make her own way"

"Well, can I make my own way, then I can miss French"

"Not a chance, your sister wants me to treat her like a grown up, so, I'am, if she's late she'll have to face the consequences"

"She's in double Maths first, Mr Lawson's class"

"Well, Mr Lawson, can deal with her if she doesn't make it in time, can't he"

Rachel and Holly left the house and drove to school leaving Aimee behind.

**Part 2**

Rachel was in her office when Eddie came in behind her with a plastic bag in his hand.

"Morning Rachel", he greeted handing her the bag, "Thanks for a loan of the clothes"

Rachel took the bag in her hand, but it didn't feel right taking them back, after all, Trevor wasn't going to need them again, and they wouldn't smell of him anymore, Eddie was a lovely man, but he didn't smell like Trevor.

"It's OK Eddie, you keep them"

"Rachel, I can't, please"

She put the bag under her desk when Holly came into the office.

"Holly, can you knock please" Rachel scolded

"Soz Mum, just wanted to ask you for Dinner Money"

"Holly, I gave you 10 pounds only a couple of days ago" Rachel moaned as she opened her purse and handed her daughter a 5 pound not.

"Is that it Mum"

"Em, Yeah"

"Fine, see you last period" she said before leaving the office, she had put her pink boots in her bag, she managed to clean them last night, and wanted to show them off, afterall they were real Uggs, not cheap fakes.

"Eddie, can you do me a favour?"

"Course I can, whats up?"

"Aimee, she keeps telling me shes 16, and to stop telling her what to do, so I'm doing just that, she hadn't left for school this morning when I left, in fact, she was still in bed, can you Please made an example of her"

Eddie laughed, "Reverse phsycology"

"something like that"

"Sure, if she's late, the morning in the cooler"

"Thanks Eddie, Oh, and I got this for you" she handed him the number

"What is this?"

"It's Alison's number"

"I know, but why are you giving me it, I know it"

"I think you should call her, you miss your kids, so call her and sort it"

"Rachel, please, leave it, it's really none of your business"

"I know, I'm sorry, it's just you helped me so much, I wanted to help you"

"Well, thanks, but really there is nothing I can do, I haven't seen them in over 2 years, and yes I miss them, but Alison and I were always arguing, and it was hard for the kids, especially Amber"

"I'm sorry Eddie, it's just I see how good you are with Holly, and I see how sad my girls are without their Dad, I just think it's a shame that you have kids, who could get your love and support"

"Rachel, I do want them, but its easier for us all, if I just keep my distance"

"Eddie, that is crap, please, call them"

Eddie was saved by the bell, he went to his Maths class and found that Aimee was not there yet.

**Please tell me what you think**

**Part 3**

Eddie took the register, and started his class, about 40 minutes into the lesson Aimee came waltzing into the class room, she waltzed over to the desk next to Chlo and sat down without saying a word to anyone.

Eddie just looked at her, in astonishment at her audacity.

"Aimee" he said his voice raised slightly

"Yeah" she replied as she took her text book out her bag

"Your late" he said

"Yeah, sorry"

"You can spend the morning in the cooler"

She looked at him laughing, was he serious, he was sending her to the cooler.

"Wait, your being serious" she said, "can't we just get on with the class"

"No, We can't if you don't come in time, then you get punished"

"Fine, Whatever" she said as she stomped out of her class towards the cooler.

**Part 4**

4th Period soon came, and Holly walked to Eddies maths class, she was wearing her pink boots as she walked into his class.

"So, Pink boots" Eddie said to Holly, this was definetly not part of the school uniform

"Yes, I like them" she answered back

"Does your mother know you are wearing them?" he asked

"No, you won't tell her, will you"

"Not, if you get them changed just now" he said, she groaned and changed them back to her normal school shoes.

"Happy" she said

"Yes, ecstatic, now lets start the class" he said.

Once the class was finished, Lunch time began, Danielle, Aleesha, Karla and Holly made their way to the Canteen, for some lunch.

At the same time, Aimee had just got out of the cooler, she was starving, she hadn't got any breakfast, but had no money for lunch, so she walked to her mothers office.

"Hi Mum" Aimee said as she walked in.

"Hi love, you had a good day?"

"Not really, Mr Lawson made me go to the cooler"

"Why?" Rachel asked, even though she really knew the reason

"I was late for school but you didn't wake me up" Aimee said.

"No, but your 16 remember, your too old for me to tell you what to do" Rachel replied back.

"But, Mum"

"But nothing, you said yesterday you were 16, old enough to do what you wanted, so I won't tell you what to do anymore" Rachel replied

"Fine, but can I have dinner money?" Aimee asked.

Rachel laughed, she had Aimee right where she wanted her, maybe this would teach her a lesson.

"Your 16 Aimee, if your not going to do as I tell you, then I'm not giving you money for nothing"

"Meaning?" Aimee questioned

"You'll have to earn money, the same way an Adult does"

"You mean get a job?"

"Yep"

"But, Mum, I can't, Please"

"I'll make a deal with you, you do exactly as I say, and that includes being grounded for 2 weeks, and things can go back to normal"

Aimee thought for a moment, but decided that she would rather not be grounded, and be allowed to do whatever she wanted.

"Fine, don't give me money, ill get it from Chlo" she said before leaving her Mums office.

Aimee finally found Chlo, but she had no spare money with her, neither did Maxine, Janeece or Mika. She then seen her sister in the dinner line and decided she would have money.

"Holly, do you have any money?" Aimee asked

"Just a Fiver for my Lunch" she replied

"I need it, give it to me" Aimee said

"But, then I won't have any money" Holly replied.

"Tough, I need it" Aimee said, taking the money from her sisters hand.

Karla looked at her friend, "That's not very fair" she said to Holly

"It's all right, I wasn't hungry anyway" Holly replied before leaving the dinner hall and going outside.

**Part 5**

Karla got a sandwich, she wasn't understanding why Hollys sister was so awful to her, what she done was mean, and bad, but Holly just let her do it, "Why?" she thought to herself.

Aleesha and Danielle were happy, they were talking to one another, they didn't seem to notice what Karla did, they way Aimee treated Holly.

"Why do you think Aimee's so mean to Holly?" Karla asked

"Don't know, but their Sisters right, so best not to get involved" Aleesha said.

Karla didn't understand this, her Mother always told her to do the right thing, and Karla was going to do what she thought was the right thing.

**Part 6**

Karla walked to Mrs Masons office, she had to tell her about what happened, but she wasn't there, Mr Lawson was though, Karla liked Mr Lawson, he had always been really nice to her.

"Mr Lawson" Karla shouted

"Karla, what's wrong?" he asked

"Aimee was really mean to Holly and took her money, now she has no money for lunch, and we don't know where Hollys gone too" she said.

"All right, I'll go look for them, you can go back to the Canteen" he said to Karla, and he went off to find one of the Masons.

He came across Aimee first in the Canteen, she was sitting with Chlo, Max and Janeece.

"Aimee, can you go to the office please?" he asked politely

"Why?" She asked

"Because I told you too, that's why" he said his voice slightly raised

She got up and walked to her Mothers office, wondering what nonsense her Mum was going to say now.

He next found Holly sitting outside on her own, she had been crying, he knew that for sure.

**Part 7**

"Holly"

"Oh, Hi Mr Lawson, I was just wanting to get some Fresh Air" she said trying to justify being outside alone

"Have you had any Lunch yet?" he asked

She lied and said she had, but he knew this was a lie from what Karla had said

"I heard that Aimee stole your Dinner Money, Is that true?"

"Not quiet, I gave it to her" she answered back

"Holly, come with me" he said and she followed him into the school and then met Rachel in the corridor, Eddie wanted to try and sort this out without Rachel, he had a feeling the girls would not talk with her around.

"Holly, honey, what's wrong?" Rachel asked

"Nothings wrong, I need to get to English", she said before trying to get away.

Eddie ran after her and took some money from his pocket

"Go get some lunch, and then come to your Mums office" he said

"What about English?"

"You can miss it" Eddie said.

Eddie went back to where Rachel was, she was confused and hated being left in the dark, especially when it concerned her daughters

"Eddie, what's going on" she asked

"Aimee apparently stole Holly's dinner money" he replied

"And Holly came to you and told your" she asked

"No, Karla did, Aimee is in your office, look I know your having trouble with her, do you want me to deal with it" Eddie offered

Rachel thought about it, and knew that no matter what she said to Aimee, it wouldn't help, maybe it would be better if Eddie did deal with her.

"Yeah, Thanks, I'll go see Holly, where is she?"

"Shes in the Canteen, I told her to go get some Lunch"

Rachel turned and walked to the Canteen, when she entered she seen her daughter picking at a salad,

**Part 8**

Holly, whats going on" Rachel asked

"Nothing Mum, I'll just go to class, Sorry" she said

"What's going on between you and Aimee, did she steal your dinner money"

"No, Mum, I gave it to her, honest" Holly tried to make her Mum believe her, but she was failing miserably

"Honey, please, tell me whats going on, you and your sister have been at each others throats since we moved to Rochdale?"

"Aimee dosen't like me Mum, that's all it is"

"That's not all it is, she is your sister, and there is something going on between you, and I want to know what it is" Rachel said "Is is something to do with me"

Holly shook her head, really it was nothing to do with her Mother, it was something else.

"Then what is it Darling?"

"Aimee says, that its my fault Daddy died, and shes right, I wasn't supposed to be coming with you guys, I moaned until you let me climb with you"

"Oh, Darling, it's not your fault, it was an accident, and you being there did not cause it"

"But, if I didn't go, Daddy would have been the only person Belayed from that tree" Holly said

"That doesn't matter, you were climbing, the tree was not supporting you in anyway, if you weren't there, the same thing would have happened"

"Aimee thinks its my fault, and she thinks its my fault we had to move here, she blames me for everything"

"I'll sort your sister, don't worry"

Holly laughed slightly

"Mum, she doesn't listen to you either"

"I'll make her listen, but promise me, that you won't let her pick on you again, come and talk to me,"

"OK Mum, love you"

"Love you too Darling"

The 2 of them hugged for a while before Rachel went to see Eddie and her eldest daughter.

**OK, I'll post more once I have a few comments. Hope you all enjoyed**

**Part 9**

Rachel wanted to be angry with Aimee, but what she heard from Holly just made her Sad, maybe she had been ignoring Aimee a little, and maybe Aimee was not OK with the move or with her Dads death. Of course she wasn't OK with her Dads death, she loved and missed him.

Eddie went back to Rachel's office, and Aimee was sitting waiting for him.

"Mr Lawson, why, am I here" Aimee said as she stood and walked towards the door.

"AIMEE, SIT DOWN" Eddie yelled, he didn't condone bullying in any way shape or form, even if it was between siblings.

"You stole money, from your sister" Eddie said

"No, I didn't " Aimee said to Eddie

"Aimee, Holly says she gave it to you, but someone else seen you, take it from her"

"OK, so I took money off my sister, that has nothing to do with you" Aimee said

"It happened in school, that makes it my business"

"OK, look, I'm sorry all right, I'll give her it back" Aimee said.

Suddenly Rachel came into her office and Aimee sighed, great this was the last thing she needed another confrontation with her Mother.

"Aimee, we need to talk" Rachel said to her eldest daughter.

**Part 10**

Rachel sat on the couch next to Aimee "Honey, I'm sorry" Rachel said, Aimee was stunned why was her Mum sorry, Aimee was the one who was at fault, she knew she was deep down, and deep down, she knew she deserved whatever punishment her mother gave her.

"Eddie can you give us some time please?" Rachel asked and Eddie left the office for his classroom.

"What for Mum, you haven't done anything" Aimee said

"Maybe, I have, see, I don't think I have been there for you, I've not been a very good Mum, have I?"

"Oh, but you have, I mean, I guess I have been acting like a spoilt brat, your right Mum, I should do as you tell me, and I think maybe I should be grounded , I'm sorry Mum"

Rachel hugged Aimee, her hand stroked through her long soft hair.

"Sweetheart, I need to know, whats been going on with you and Holly,"

"I'm sorry Mum, I guess I've been making things hard for her"

"She thinks it was her fault your Dad died, and you know it wasn't anybodies fault, it was a tragic accident, and no one is to blame" Rachel said as Aimee started to cry, this was a first, she didn't even cry when she heard about her father.

"I'm Sorry Mum, I just miss him so so much" Rachel pulled her sobbing daughter into another hug. They sat like that for a few moments, and then the door opened it was Holly.

"Holly, I'm sorry" Aimee said to her younger sister. Holly sat next to her, and the 2 girls hugged for the first time in months, Rachel heaved a sigh of relief and put her arms around her 2 daughters.

"All right girls, from now one, we talk to each other, I don't want either of you keeping things back and upsetting yourself" Rachel said

"Thanks Mum" Aimee said

"Yeah, Thanks" Holly added.

**Allright, that's the end of this part, more to come later.**

**Please let me know what you thought, is there anything you liked, or anything you didn't like.**


	13. Chapter 13

Holly and Aimee were seeming to be getting on a lot better, Rachel was happy, that had all had a good cry about their Dad, and cleared the Air, Rachel had got a tree for them to remember him by, they put his ashes in the pot with it. They didn't want to plant it in case they moved house, they wanted to be able to take it with them

Rachel and Eddie had been spending a lot of time together trying to get Waterloo Road College and Business initiative. They were sitting in Rachels Living room going through plans for their presentation which they were going to have the next day. When Aimee and Mika came downstairs.

"Hi Mrs Mason, Mr Lawson" Mika said politely to her head and deputy head respectively.

"Hi Mika, are you ready for your big performance tomorrow" Rachel asked

"Hope so, Aimee was helping me go through some lines" she said as she left the house.

Eddie left and Rachel decided she was going to put her plan into action, she called Alison, and told her just how much Eddie missed Amber and Michael. Alison agreed and said she would contact Eddie.

The next Day was the day for Rachel and Eddies presentation, it was a very important day for both of them. Rachel arrived at the school early with both her daughters, and she had set up the room where the meeting was to be held.  
Eddie met with Rachel, and soon, they were underway. Rachel gave her half of the presentation flawlessly, and Eddie started his half, but was soon interrupted by Bolton.

Bolton had been walking down the corridor when a woman with a young teenage girl and a little boy stopped her.

"Excuse me" she said, "Do you know where I can find Mr Lawson"

"Em, Not sure" Bolton said "Might be in his class" he walked off past them whilst smiling at the girl, she looked to be about his age, maybe a little bit younger, but boy was she hot or what.

"Can you take me to his class?" the lady asked. Bolton looked round at her.

"We got told not to talk to Strangers, and not being funny of nuffing, I don't know you"

"I'm Mrs Lawson," she said "And these are mines and Mr Lawsons Children, now can you show me to his class room"

"Your Lawsons daughter, but your hot" Bolton said to Amber who smiled back at him. She was wearing an extremely short shirt and high boots.

"His class is this way" he said walking towards the Maths department, but Eddie wasn't there.

"He might be in Masons office" Bolton said, and they walked down to there, passing the room the meeting was in on the way.

Bolton opened the door.

"Bolton" Rachel said annoyed "Did you not see the sign on the door"

"Eh, she says shes Lawsons wife, it's Important" Bolton said.

Eddie looked round and seen his daughter standing, but couldn't see his wife from that angle.

"Excuse me" Eddie said and ran out. Rachel struggled to do the presentation on her own, but muddled through. She ran out to see the people who were making lunch and asked them to get it sorted for earlier.

Eddie seen his wife and kids, he wondered what they were doing there.

"Alison" Eddie said surprised

"Eddie, you want them so much, then have them, I'm fed up" she said and ran out the school.

"Alison" he shouted, running after her and leaving the 2 kids standing on their own.  
Amber was slightly pissed, her Mum didn't want her and her Dad didn't he had ignored her for the past couple of years,

"Who is that Man" Michael asked his older sister

"Hes Eddie" Amber said, she couldn't even bear to say his name or call him Dad.

"Why is Mum angry with him?" he asked

"Because he dosen't love her anymore" she answered.

Rachel was walking back down the corridor when she seen Amber and Micheal, she had no idea who they were.

"Excuse me" Rachel said "Can I ask who you are?"

"Amber and Michael Lawson" Amber replied.

"Oh, wheres your Dad?" she asked again.

"Don't know, he ran after Mum" Amber said whilst shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, why don't you come into my office instead of standing around the corridor"

Amber and Michael followed her into the Office.

Eddie ran after Alison, he caught up with her in the school yard.

"Alison, whats going on" he shouted at his ex wife.

"I can't deal with them anymore, you want them so much, then their yours"  
"Of course I want them, I never stopped loving them, but you can't just dump them, how do you think the kids are feeling"

"Oh Eddie, get off your Moral High Horse, you left them 2 years ago, don't think Amber has forgotton that"

Alison got into her car and drove off.  
Eddie walked back into the school and into Rachels office to find his kids. He got to Rachels office and walked in, he found his kids sitting on the sofa drinking some orange juice.

"Amber, Michael" Eddie said walking towards them

"Wheres Mummy" Michael asked

"I don't know, she's had to go for a bit, so your going to stay here with me for a bit"

Amber looked up at him, there was no way she was staying with him, she hated him.

"No, I'm not, I'll get the train back to Oldham" Amber said walking towards the door.

"Amber" Eddie shouted, "Come back", what was it with woman running away from him today. He caught up with her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me" she screamed, "I hate you, just let me go"  
Eddie was hurt, and Rachel felt like she had to help, after all Eddie had helped her to much the past few weeks.

"Amber" Rachel said "Why don't you and I go for a wee walk" she offered

"I just want to go home" she said, Rachel looked at her with sympathy.

"I know honey, but lets go, give you a chance to cool down".

Amber and Rachel left the office leaving Michael and Eddie alone. Michael sat on the chair swinging his legs and looking down.

"Michael" Eddie said to attract his attention, "Do you know who I'am Buddy"

"You're my Daddy I think" he said.  
Eddie smiled "Yeah, I'am". The two of them talked for a while, and Eddie took him out to show him his car, and pictures of him, his sister and brother, the child seemed to relax a little.

Rachel and Amber left her office and were walking to the yard where it was quiet.  
"Amber, do you know how much Eddie cares for you?" Rachel asked.  
"He doesn't, if he did he would have never have left me" Amber replied back bitterly.

"You know, I think your Dad was hurting a lot as well, and I know that he really misses you and Michael, and Steven as well, he never ever wanted to leave you"

"Then why did he leave me" she sobbed "I loved my Dad, and then he left me alone with Mum, who wasn't coping"

"All I know, and its not much, I have only known your Dad for a month or so, but he cares about you, and OK he made some mistakes, but he is trying his best to make amends, he wants to be a part of your life" Rachel said to her.

"Why don't we go find him, hmm, I'm sure he would love to talk to you, and wouldn't it be best for Michael if you were with him just now"

"I guess, Thanks mmm" Amber didn't know what to call her, she didn't know her name and wasn't sure if she should just call her Miss, since she wasn't really her teacher.

"Rachel, you can call me Rachel" she said.

"Thanks Rachel" she said, and the 2 of them headed inside, just as the rain was about to start.

They walked back to Rachel's office and could hear Eddie and Michael playing inside.

"Daddy, do you like Bob the Builder?" the 3 year old asked.

"Eddie done a fantastic impersonation of him and had Michael in fits of giggles.

"Dad" Amber said as she walked into the office "I'm sorry" she replied as she hugged him.

"Oh Princess, I'm sorry, sorry for everything" Eddie said as she hugged her Daddy.

Rachel had left her office, she had phoned Alison and had arranged to go and meet her for Coffee, she wanted to try and get Eddie and Alison to talk to each other.

Rachel walked into the café, she seen Alison sitting at a table and ordered a coffee before sitting next to her.

"Alison, I'm Sorry if you felt ambushed earlier, I shouldn't have contacted you like that, I just hate to see Eddie suffer" Rachel said.

" I know, I'm sorry, I'm just stressed, I can't do it on my own anymore, I just wanted Eddie to realise that"

"You don't have to be on your own, Eddie would love to spend time with the kids, I think though, that you have to sort it out with him, you need to talk, away from the kids"

"Yeah, your right, We do need to, I'm just really worried about Amber, she is on a downwards spiral, doing too much too young" Alison said with obvious concern in her voice.

"Well, all the more reason for Eddie to spend time with her, I know he has been fantastic with my girls in the past few weeks"

"You have kids?" Alison asked surprised, for some reason she thought Rachel was childless, she didn't know why she was surprised.

"Yes, 2 daughters, their 16 and 14, they have been going though a rough time, my husband died 7 months ago"

"So, you and Eddie, your not a couple?"

"No, we are just friends, that's all, anyway I better go back to school"

Alison followed Rachel, and met with Eddie and their Kids whilst Rachel went to meet the board, who she had left with Jasmine.

Alison went into Rachel's office where Eddie and the kids were.

"Mummy" shouted Michael who ran to his Mother, Amber just sat, she didn't say a word just stared at the window.

"Amber, we need to talk, your Dad and I" Alison said.

"Yeah, you do, cos Mum, I don't want to go back to the way it was before, I want to see my Dad, I want to know him better"

"Well, that's what I want too, I'm sorry for what I did today, but your Dad and I, we need to sort some stuff out"

Eddie started to talk, there was no way he was going to lose his kids again.

"Amber, why don't you go to the hall, the show is about to start soon, take Michael with you"

She got up and sighed and put her hand out for Michael to take before leaving the office. She wasn't going to the hall though, she wanted to know what they were saying.

"Alison, I hope your not going to take them away from me, I want to be part of their lives"

"I know, Eddie, what should we do, I mean, when do you want them, weekends, Holidays, I work the school holidays, so you can have them then".

"I want to see them more than just the school holidays, I want to be part of their lives, go to parents night, dance shows, know their friends, I don't want to be a part time Dad"

"I'm sorry Eddie, I shouldn't expect you to be a babysitter, I have been thinking about this for a while, but I work in Rochdale, and commute through everyday, Ambers friends well lets just say I would be more than happy is she was away from them"

"Why?" Eddie asked sensing that something was going on with his daughter.

"They are just bad influences, so we could move here, Michaels still little enough, I will be closer to work, the kids to you, it makes sense"

Eddie was delighted, this was the best news he could have expected.

"Oh, Alison that would be brilliant, you have made my day" he beamed

"Great, and you can be on homework help duty," she joked with him.

They went to watch the show, and both Amber and Michael were excited at the prospect of spending more time with their Father.

**Comments Pleae**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 13**

**Part 1**

The show was a success, apart from a few technical issues, but everyone overlooked these and found it hilarious.

When the show was over Rachel seen a woman, she recognised her, she was from her past. Rachel hoped she didn't recognise her, if she did, she might blow her secret, no one knew about her past, not even her daughters.

"She won't remember me" thought Rachel and she went on to enjoy the rest of the day.

**Part 2**

The Christmas holidays arrived, and Eddie was so happy, Alison had set the wheels in motion for the big move, she had even put her own house on the market, and found a new house near to Eddie. They were moving in the second week in January, and Eddie was so excited about the prospect.

Rachel and the girls weren't really looking forward to Christmas, it was the first one without their Father, and everything just seemed weird.

Holly woke up early on Christmas morning and made her way downstairs, as usually all hers and her sisters presents were laid out in two piles in the living room, there was a small pile for Rachel, but Holly felt sad, that the 4th pile, their Fathers was absent. Rachel could hear movement downstairs and got out of her cosy bed and made her way downstairs.

"Merry Christmas Darling" Rachel said whilst kissing her daughter,

"Merry Christmas Mum" Holly said, she knelt down at her pile of presents and spotted a small package out of the corner of her eye, it had different paper than the rest, she picked it up and read the label.

"To Holly, love Daddy" she said with surprise.

Rachel smiled at her baby girl ready to explain.

"Your Dad bought them for you before he died, I kept them for today, you can open it once your sister gets out of her bed" Rachel said.

Holly ran upstairs and woke Aimee up, she jumped out of bed quicker than she would on any normal day and ran downstairs, Holly rummaged through Aimees pile and found the box the same size as hers and with the same paper.

"What is this Mum" Aimee asked, Rachel explained to both girls how when she and Trevor where in Aberfoyle he had seen these, and bought them for the girls, of course he had never made it back to England alive, so Rachel thought it would be nice for the girls to receive a present from their Dad on Christmas Day.

They both opened them at the same time, inside was two beautiful necklaces with Fairies on them, Hollys was pink and Aimees Purple.

"Its lovely Mum" Holly said whilst putting it round her neck.

"I'm glad you like them babies" she said to her daughters who both hugged their Mother.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 14**

Amber and Allison were sitting in their new house, Michael had been registered for the local nursery, but getting Amber into a school was a different matter.

Amber was in year 8, she had gotten into a lot of trouble during the last term, she and a couple of older girls had badly beaten another year 8. Amber had been expelled and the case had been passed to the police, but thankfully for her, she had been let off with a verbal warning, it had however scared her and made her feel ashamed of her self, she knew she would not be so stupid again, and didn't want anyone else to know, especially Eddie, she wanted him to love her.

But Now, none of the schools wanted to take her, they had an LEA representative who had tried all of the local schools with the exception of Waterloo Road at Ambers request.

"I really think you need to consider Waterloo Road" Mrs Williams said as she sat on the couch in their new house.

"But Mum, I don't want to go to that school" Amber said

"We don't have any other options Amber" Allison said

She looked between her mother and the official.

"Amber, the only other option is a special school, which for you I don't recommend"

"No, Amber, your not going to one of those Schools, you'll just need to go to Waterloo Road" Allison said.

"Amber, why don't you want to go there" Mrs Williams asked

"Because Dad works there, he doesn't know about what I did, and I don't want him to be ashamed of me"

"Amber, your Dad, he should know, now he's part of our life again, Waterloo Road won't be that bad"

"OK, We'll I'll call Miss Mason, and see if we can meet her" Mrs Williams said, and they were soon ready to go visit Waterloo Road.

**OK, hope that's OK, I'm not well today and off work, so another update later.**

**Part 2**

Rachel had received a call from Sandra Williams, she was the LEA representative for Children with behavioural issues, she had asked Rachel if she would meet with a girl who she thought might fit in at Waterloo Road. Rachel knew this really meant, none of the other schools wanted her, but she was never one to turn away a lost cause.

Eddie had classes for most of the day, he had no idea that his daughter and ex wife would soon be meeting with Rachel.

**Part 3**

Rachel was sitting in her office, she was due to meet her new pupil at 10am, the start of period 2, she glanced at her watch, it was 9.50am, they should be here soon, she thought to herself, just as there was a knock on the door.

"Come in" Rachel said, she was surprised to see Amber and Allison.

"Amber, your Dads in a class just now, do you want me to get him for you" Rachel said to the 12 year old.

"No, I'm here with Mrs Williams, to meet you at 10" Amber said.

"Oh, well come on in then, and welcome to Waterloo Road"

This makes things a little more difficult Rachel thought to herself, she had no idea what Amber had done that was so bad, and why the other schools did not want her.

Amber sat on the couch, in the same position she had done before the holiday, she looked much older with her short skirt on, high heeled shoes and a white tight fitting blouse, with no tie or any uniform signalling an allegence to a particular school.

Allison and Sandra came into the office.

"Allison, Sandra" Rachel said before shaking hands with both woman, Sandra was surprised that Rachel knew who they were.

"So, Amber is telling me that she wants to join Waterloo Road, isn't that fantastic" Rachel said

"Not really, no where else wants me" Amber said, "This wasn't my first choice"

"Amber" Allison scolded "This is your only chance of going to a mainstream school"

"Yeah, but when Rachel and Dad find out, they won't want me here either" Amber said sadly, all she ever wanted was to be excepted, that's why she ended up in so much trouble last time,

Rachel knelt down next to her "Amber, I think, that everyone, no matter what they have done in their past, deserves a second chance"

"Thanks Rachel, but you'll change your mind when you find out, and so will Dad".

"I won't, but why don't you tell me what you did?" Rachel asked

"I beat up a girl, she had to go to hospital, her leg was broken, and her skull fractured, I got expelled from school, and the police came, they almost charged me, but Caitlin didn't press charges" Amber explained ashamedly.

"OK, I want you to know that sort of behaviour will not be tolerated at Waterloo Road" Rachel said sternly.

"See Mum, told you, she won't want me here" Amber shouted.

"Amber, I didn't say that" Rachel defended, "All I'm going to say is, this is your second chance, what happened in the past, that's where it will stay, I won't hold it against you"

"Thank you" Amber said "But my Dad, he doesn't know, does he have to" she pleaded

"Yes, its in your personal file, he will see it" Rachel replied

"Amber, we talked about this, your Dad has to know, you have to tell him".

Rachel sorted out some of the Paper work with Sandra involving Ambers transfer, she glanced over to her, Rachel knew she was 12, but what she was wearing made her look about 16.

"Amber, why don't we got and see if we can get you some uniform" Rachel said.

"That sounds good, and I'll get you some new skirts and blouses today, and this time, you won't ruin them will you" Allison replied.

When Allison tried to get Amber to wear appropriate clothes, she usually ripped them or destroyed them to avoid wearing them.

"That would be fantastic, Allison" Rachel said, she then disappeared and came back with a Waterloo Road sweat shirt and gave it to the teen, who immediately put it on.

"I had a quick word with your Dad, I think the 2 of you should have a talk at break, he needs to know what's going on" Rachel said, and Amber suddenly felt very nervous.

**Please comment if you like, not sure if I'm going to continue this or not, think I might take a bit of a fic break for a while.**

**Part 4**

Amber was taken to her Fathers Class room by one of the year 10s, on the way their Bolton met her again.

"Hay Lawson, you joining us here" he said as he passed.

"Yeah" she replied whilst giving him the eye, he was hot, but she knew he was too old for her, but he thought she was his age.

Soon Amber was at Eddie's office.

"Hi honey" Eddie said whilst hugging his daughter.

"Dad, I need to talk to you" she said nervously

"OK Darling, whats wrong, whats worrying you?" he asked

"I … I got… got into trouble at my last school" she finally blurted out to her Dad"

"Oh, and what sort of trouble" he asked concerned

"I got expelled, and nearly arrested" she replied meekly, she was terrified of what her Father was going to do and say.

"Can I ask Why?"

"I… I, became Friends with these girls… And.. they" she paused trying to find the best way to phrase the next part. "They weren't very nice to some other girls, I really wanted them to like me Dad"

She started to cry, she had always been a Daddys girl, and really missed him.

"It's Ok Darling" he said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I did things, things I'm ashamed of because that's what they wanted me to do" she said.

"What things?" Eddie asked calmly

"I helped them beat up a girl in my class, she was injured and had to go to hospital" she quickly blurted out.

Eddie wasn't sure what to say, how could his daughter do that, he though of her as such a good girl.

"Dad, say something, even shout at me, it's what I deserve"

"Well, have you learned from your mistake?" Eddie asked

"Oh, yes Dad, I promise I'll be good from now on, Rachel said I can come to this school, none of the other schools would let me"

"Well, just to warn you, Miss Mason and I, will not tolerate any sort of Bullying in this school, I'm not going to pretend that I'm not disappointed in you, because I'am, but maybe this is my fault too, maybe if I had been around, I could have kept you in line better"

"I am Sorry Dad, I promised I will be good, I don't want to disappoint you"

"All right Baby, its over now, and you have a nice fresh start" Eddie replied as he hugged her.

"Dad, I love you" Amber said

"I love you too honey, more than you will ever know" he replied before the bell rang. She got startled and looked at her Dad, she had no idea where she was supposed to be,

"What class are you supposed to be in" Eddie asked as she searched for her timetable that Rachel had given her earlier.

"PE," she quickly said "But I haven't got my kit"

"Well, I'm free this period, do you want to stay here with me till your next class"

"OK Dad" Amber replied.


	16. Chapter 16

Rachel Mason walked up the familiar stair case to her office, it was going to be a busy day today for her, she was taking 4 of the lessons for life boys to visit the prison, she thought this would be a great opportunity to get through to them that actions have consequences, and to try and scare them.

She wasn't expecting to walk into her office and for everything to be everywhere, there had been a break in.

"Ohh No" Rachel sighed, as she had a look at the mess around her, suddenly their was a knock on her door and in walked Holly.

"Hay Mum, mmm can I ask you something?" she said before noticing the room around her "what happened here?" she added.

"Break in by the looks of it, what is it you want to ask me Honey?"

"Can I please go out after School with some people" she asked

"What people" Rachel questioned.

"Just people from my class, we are going to celebrate the end of the start of Mocks" she replied.

"What, that makes no sense, the end of the start of Mocks?" Rachel questioned/

"Well, it's the end of our first ever exam" Holly said "And we thought it would be nice for everyone to go out and discuss how we felt"

"You do remember that tonight is parents night, don't you"

"Yeah, and that means you will be here all day, I don't want to be stuck here bored all day" Holly said

"Bored, you have a maths mock tomorrow, I hardly think being bored should be an issue"

"Mum" she whined incessiently "Can I please go, I've been studying so hard over the holidays, and it's only a mocks"

"OK, you can go, but you need to be back here for Parents evening"

"Thanks Mum," Holly said

"So, are you not nervous about today?"

"Hmm, a little, I hope I don't fail" Holly said

"Just read the questions carefully, and try your best, that's all I ask" Rachel said as Eddie walked in.

"What the hell has happened here?" he asked.

"A break in" Holly said "Obviously" she added

"Oi, cheeky" Rachel said "You better get a move on, you have an exam in 2 minutes" Rachel said

"Good luck honey" Rachel said and Eddie agreed


	17. Chapter 17

It was later than night, Holly had went out with some of the other kids in her year, well Michael, Botlon and Paul, they were hanging out down at the Spar. Holly liked Bolton, he was cool, she really liked him, but knew he didn't feel the same.

"So Bolton" Holly said as she walked up to him "I was wondering if you want to go out sometime?" she asked nervously "I mean like friends just" she quickly added, unsure of hat she was doing and why she was doing, there was no way a cool lad like Bolton would want to go out with her right.

"Ha, you're joking right" Bolton said whilst laughing at her.

"Yeah Holly, why would Bolton want to go out with a little goody goody, scardie cat like you" Michaela said

"I'm not a goody goody" Holly said

"Then prove it, do something dangerous" Michaela said

"I do, I'm probably braver than you" holly said "I've done extreme things before" she added

"Like what, cross the road before the green man comes on" Michaela said

"No, I've climbed huge mountains and cliffs before, and abseiled down them"

"Ohh, so brave," Michaela said sarcastically, of course she didn't know the reason behind Trevor's death, this upset Holly and she ran as fast as she could the puddles splashing up over her boots, until she finally reached her destination, Waterloo Road, she had promised she would be back in time, and made her way to her Mothers office.

"Hi Mum" Holly said, although her face still covered in tears.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Rachel asked with great concern

"Nothing Mum, I just miss Dad, that's all" she lied and fell into her mothers arms, she felt comfort there, in the familiarity, she could smell her mothers perfume, and relaxed very quickly.

"Darling, are you worried about parent's night, about the reports you're going to get?" Rachel asked her daughter, Holly thought it would be easier for her Mother to believer this, and it was partially true as well.

"Yeah Mum, that's what it is" she said.

"You have nothing to worry about Darling, it's been a tough year for you I know that"

"Love you Mum

"Love you too baby" she said hugging her tighter.

Later that evening, there were many parents at the school, Rachel was happy with the turnout, Alison was there, she and Eddie had some nice conversation, and they were both delighted with Ambers progress over the past few weeks.

Holly found Aimee and Chlo in the hall having some tea and talking, Aimee could tell her sister was upset, she wanted to try and help her.

"What's up Holly?" she asked

"Nothing, its just this Boy I like, but it doesn't matter" Holly said nervously, she couldn't talk to her Mum about Bolton, she wouldn't understand, but Aimee, well maybe now they were getting on again, she would help her

"What boy?" Chlo asked curiously.

"Little Holly's got a crush" Aimee said in a baby voice

"OK, just forget it" Holly said and started to walk away

"No, Holls, come back" Aimee said guiltily, she knew her sister needed her help and she would give it to her. Holly turned round and Aimee placed her hands on her shoulders and guided her over to a chair. "OK, so come on spill, Who is he?"

"Bolton"

"What, but he's such a bad boy" Aimee said

"So, I like him, but he thinks I'm just some stupid Kid, I mean I look like a kid, don't I, Aimee help me, please, I want him"

"All right, let's get you fixed up, we'll go home, mum won't be due back for hours yet"

Rachel agreed that Holly and Aimee could go home, so long as Aimee was in charge, Chlo came with them, and between them they had Holly looking more like a teenager in no time, Chlo gave her hair and makeup tips, and Aimee


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you Adele, who wrote Hollys wonderful Poem, it's fab,**

The next day, Holly got ready for school with Aimees help, her hair and make up were immaculate, and her uniform modified to Aimees standard/

"Right, put your coat on, if Mum sees you wearing this she'll flip, so try and avoid her if you can" Aimee said as she handed her little sister her coat.

"Thanks Aimee, I really hope Bolton notices me today?"

"Well, if he doesn't then he must be gay" Aimee said laughing, she had her sister in a short skirt, tight shirt which had a few buttons undone, her cardigan was tied at her bust, and she had a nice long necklace on.

Holly laughed and both girls ran down stairs as Rachel was calling them.

"Holly" Rachel said "Are you wearing makeup?" she asked

"mmm, yeah, just a bit," she said before skipping out of the door.

Rachel wasn't happy about Hollys choice to wear Makeup, but what could she do, Aimee wore it, as did she.

Holly went to her first class, Maths with Mr Lawson and took her coat off, Eddie was surprised by what Holly was wearing, and she made sure she sat as close as possible to Bolton.

"Hi Bolton" she said timidly, she really liked him, but had made a fool of her self the previous day.

"Hiya Babes" he replied to her, "Your looking mighty fine today"

"Thanks" she smiled sweetly

"So, how about we do something after his class, take a wee trip down to the spar or summit"

"I don't know, we might get into trouble" she said

"Yeah, I know, but that's the fun innit"

"I guess, OK" she said, not wanting to seem like a goody goody.

After that class the two of them skipped off out the school.

Holly missed her meeting with Brett as lunchtime to discuss the school newspaper, Holly was an immense writer, and loved her position as a reporter for the Waterloo Road Rag, so Brett and Mika were left alone, he tired his best to get a date from her, but to no avail, she could see right through his filirting.

Rachel was sitting in her office when Steph came by.

"Rachel, I thought you should know, Holly was missing from my class, as was a certain Mr Smilie." Steph said "Well Bolton, that's not a surprise, but Holly, I just thought you should know"

"Thanks Steph, I'll deal with them", Rachel had no idea that Holly was with Bolton, just coincidence. Rachel took her phone and scrolled through the address book till she came to her daughters number. It rang and rang, but to no avail, Holly did not answer so Rachel left a message "_Holly, where are you?, I'm worried can you phone me please, or come by my office"_

Holly and Bolton were at the park, they were sitting on the swings talking about lots of stuff, Bolton did like her and she was so pretty, he didn't want to scare her off, but he did want to kiss her.

He stood and took her hand, she was excited, she had never held hands with a boy before, oh god, what should she do, she was so excited yet terrified. She took his hand and let him lead her over to the park bench where they sat.

He leaned forward to kiss her, but she froze, not sure what to do, she just pulled away

"I don't bite" Bolton said "Well not unless you want me to" he added whilst laughing

"I'm sorry, this was a stupid idea, I have to go back to school" she said before getting up.

"Holly, come on, sit back down, you're a VL, so what" Bolton said

"What did you call me a VL, what the hell is that?"

"Ehh, a Virgin lips, look, if you don't want to kiss me fine don't , but at least chill out"

She sat back on the wooden bench next to him, she couldn't believe she had made such a full of herself in front of him.

"I'm sorry" she said timidly

"Yeah, well, it's OK, everyone has a first time, right"

"Yeah, but I bet everyone else has done it, Michaelas right, I am a scardie"

"Ignore Michaela, I do, look I can't wait to snog the face of you"

What Bolton said did excite Holly, she couldn't wait to either, but she was terrified incase she did it wrong.

"See your smiling, I bet you want that too" he added after seeing the growing smile on her face

"Yeah, I guess, I'm just worried in case I do it wrong"

"You can't just relax" he said, and as she did, he took her head into his hands and brought his lips to hers, he gently pushed his tongue in and kissed her, it took a second for her to respond, but she did, and it was so intense for her, she couldn't believe what she was doing, but it was fantastic. The pair stayed there for a while, wrapped up in their thoughts and oblivious to their surroundings when they suddenly heard an man talking to them, they looked up and seen it was a policeman and woman patrolling the park, they were swiftly taken into the car and promptly returned to the Headmistresses office of Waterloo Road.

Rachel Mason was sitting in her office surrounded by paperwork, there was so much today, but she felt her self being drawn to check her messages on her phone to see if Holly had contacted. Rachel had also spoken to Aimee who had no idea where her sister was, but of course when she heard Bolton was gone, she was glad her plan had worked.

The door to the office suddenly was shaken by an almighty knock and Rachel signalled for the person to come in, she was surprised to see two police constables with Holly and Bolton.

"Mrs Mason, we found these two up to no good in the park" he said

"Up to no good, what exactly does that mean?" she questioned whilst glaring at her daughter, who just looked out the window away from her mother.

"They weren't doing anything illegal, just mucking around" he said

"Well, Thank you for brining them back, and don't worry, they will face harsh consequences" Rachel said whilst glaring at Holly again.

The two police officers left, and Rachel stared between the two teenagers.

"Sit, the pair of you" Rachel instructed them pointing to the two chairs across from her desk.

Holly sat as instructed as did Bolton.

Rachel leaned back trying to think of the best way to play this, softly softly, or be hard, she decided it was bet to go in hard, they both had to know this was not acceptable.

"So, do you care to explain what Just happened!"

"Whats to explain Mum, you heard" Holly said

"You are in school young Lady, you will call me Mrs Mason, is that Understood"

"Yes Miss" Holly said and feeling pretty silly about calling her Mum by her title

"Aww, Miss, it was my fault, I talked her into coming with me" Bolton said, not wanting holly to be in trouble.

"Holly has a mind of her own Bolton, she is as much to blame in this as you are"

"So Mum, what are you going to do?"

"What have I told you about calling me Mum at School!" Rachel yelled at Holly who was not expecting it, "Its Mrs Mason"

"I'm sorry Mum", she said before and realised she made the same mistake which made Bolton laugh, Rachel glared at him and Holly quickly correcter her mistake "I mean Miss"

"OK, the two of you can spend the rest of the day in the cooler, and all of next week in afterschool detention"

"Pfff, I'm not staying in deteniont for a week" Bolton remarked

"You will, now off you go"

They both stood, and Rachel decided she wanted to talk to Holly alone.

"Holly, stay please, we need to talk" Rachel instructed her daughter. Holly sighed and sat back in her chair

"What are you playing at, this is not like you?" Rachel asked

"I was just wanting to have some fun, Sorry"

"Not good enough, what do you think your father would say"

Holly looked down, her Father would be dissapoined, he loved Holly, and she remember how he was when Aimee started dating, she always knew he would find it hard, she thought about telling her mum what she and Bolton were up to, but was too scared to.

"Dad's dead Mum, so it don't bring him into it to make me feel guilty" she said

"Sorry love, that wasn't fair of me, but I'm so angry with you right now"

"I know"

"Holly, it's not like you, from Aimee, yes I would expect this, but not from you"

"I just didn't want people to call me a goody goody any more, I'm sorry"

"Just because people tell you to do things, does not mean you do them"

"So, should I just ignore you from now on if you tell me to do something" Holly retorted

"That's not what I meant, if someone tells you to do something, and you know it's wrong, then you don't have to do it, you need to use your conscience"

"What if Im not sure what the right thing to do?"

"Then you think, if I do this will I get into trouble, and if the answer is yes, then it's usually the wrong thing to do, and as your Mother it's my job to makesure you know what is and is not the right thing"

"OK, so just ground me then, I know that's what your going to do"

"Your right, it is "

"So, how long?" Holly asked

"1 Week, now you get off to the cooler today"

"Fine" Holly said and headed off to the cooler as well

It was the end of the school day, Holly was sitting in the cooler waiting on her Mother, Bolton had scarpered as soon as the bell had rang, not before exchanging mobile number quickly, as Grantly had scarpered faster than even Bolton could manage.

Holly had been instructed by Rachel to wait in the cooler until she was ready to go home, so she opened her bag, put in the school work that her subject teachers had set for her whilst she was in isolation, and took out some of the homework she had been given as a result of missing French, she had a list of words to learn for a French test, so she started to learn them.

It wasn't long before Rachel arrived at the door.

"Are you ready to go home?" Rachel asked her daughter

"I guess, Mum look, I'm sorry, you know I'am"

"I know, but I still have to punish you"

"OK, well we might as well go home then" Holly said

"Darling, Eddie is going to come over tonight with his kids, can you try and be friends with Amber?" Rachel asked

"Yeah Mum, might as well seeing I can't go out".

Later that day Eddie arrived at Rachel's door with Michael and Amber, Rachel had bought in some DVD's that Michael might enjoy.

"Hi Rachel" Eddie said whilst giving her a quick hug

"Daddy, is Rachel your girlfriend?" Michael asked

"No son, we are just Friends" Eddie said his face glowing a slight shade of red.

"Amber, why don't you go into the living room, Holly and Aimee are watching TV if you want to join them" Rachel said, but Eddie spoke up just as Amber ran into the living room

"Amber has homework to do Rachel" Eddie said.

"Oh Eddie, it's a Friday night, and her first night with you, surely she can give the homework a miss" Rachel said, even she made sure that a Friday night was free from work.

"I guess so, I just want to try and get her back on Track" he said whilst handing Michael a bag, it was full of Toys. "Why don't you go into the living room too buddy, and play with your toys"

The little boy bounded into the living room ready to play with his train set, and hoped Amber would play with him, she of course said no, but Aimee and Holly both agreed and soon the 2 of them were on the floor putting the train tracks together.

They had dinner, and for Rachel it felt nice, one having a grown up around to talk to, and two having the little child there lightened up the atmosphere.

They went hope eventually, and Amber went up to her new room, she was a bit upset, she found out that Holly was with Bolton, but how could she be, Bolton liked her, he had as much as told her that.

Michael fell asleep straight away, and Eddie was glad that both kids seemed relaxed at his house, and they had their first weekend together.

The weekend was soon over and Rachel was awakened by the annoying buzzing of her alarm clock, she pressed the snooze button and the 9 extra minutes were soon over, quicker than she could imagine, she pulled the duvet away from her and felt the cold January air hit her like a wave crashing on the shore, she shivered as she got up and pulled her robe on, before making her way to her daughters rooms, she arrived at Hollys first and heard the thundering roar of the hair dryer, signalling that at least one daughter was awake, Rachel walked down the cold hallway, her feet moving quickly as to avoid touching the cold wooden floor, she knocked on Aimees door, and no answer, Rachel thought she was still asleep, but when she entered the room was empty, her bed was even made. Rachel was confused, it was not like Aimee to be awake this early, she walked back to Hollys room and let herself in.

"Ahh, there you are" she said to her eldest daughter

"Mum, can't you knock" Holly said, she was not ready yet, and Aimee was styling her hair, Rachel noticed what Holly was wearing.

"Sorry, but you are not wearing that to school" Rachel said

"Mum, she's not got anything on I wouldn't wear" Aimee said in her sisters defense

"See, if Aimee gets to wear it, then fine, so do I" Holly shouted back, a little louder and angrier than she had hoped for.

"You just watch your tone Young Lady" Rachel scolded

"Look Mum, everyone dresses like this, you don't want her to get picked on cos of what she wears, your as bad as Mrs Harker" Aimee said.

"Put on a longer skirt, less makeup, and button your shirt up another button, the rest, can stay" Rachel conceded and left the room to get herself ready.

They eventually were ready and got into the car, Holly met Bolton outside and was about to run straight to him when Aimee grabbed her arm.

"If you run straight over their in front of Mum, she'll know everything, plus you don't want to appear too eager, try and play hard to get, he'll want you even more" Aimee whispered to her little sister. Rachel noticed this, she wanted to know exactly what her daughters were up to, it was definitely something, and she was certain it would be something, she didn't approve of.

"What are you two whispering about?" Rachel asked pryingly

"Emm, nothing Mum" Aimee answered hurriedly

"Yeah, nothing, I'm going to the Breakfast club" Holly said and Ran off, Rachel not noticing Bolton Smilie hot on her heels.

Holly was standing in the line talking to Candice, who had just given her some cereal

"Are you sure that's all you want love" Candice said

"Yeah, just a tiny bit of cereal is fine" she answered, the cereal was only really for show, in case Rachel came in, she sat pretending to eat, when Bolton sat at the table next to her.

"So, hows you been?" he asked

"All right, the same as I was when you text me this morning, luckly it was on silent, mums not noticed my phone going all the time yet" Holly replied

"Holly, maybe we should tell your Mum about us, cos, I don't want her to find out we are going behind her back" Bolton said.

"Really, you want my Mum to know, it's just I know she'll go off on one"

"I know, but your Mum scares me when she gets all strict on us" Bolton said, and Holly laughed.

"A big strong, tough boy like you, is afraid of my Mum, look if it makes you feel better, I'll tell her tonight OK"

"Yeah, OK" he replied before they sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments. Holly hadn't touched her cereal yet.

"Are you not going to eat that" Bolton asked, eyeing the uneaten corn flakes

"No, here" she said shoving them in front of him and he gladly excepted.

Twenty minutes later the were sitting in Grantlys English Class.

"So last week we read poetry, this week, I want you to write some" he said in his boring drone that he reserved for first period on a Monday morning.

"About what?, you may ask" he continued to drone, "About a person, who you admire, lets see what you can all come up with"

"Is anyone going to read them?" Holly shouted out

"Put your hand up before you speak, and No, I don't have time to read the ramblings of some Teenagers who want to write poetry about David Beckham and Cheryl Cole" he muttered "Just write a nice poem, and I'll sit here and get on with my business" he added.

"You mean falling asleep" Karla said and the rest of the class laughed whilst Miss Shakelton tried to calm them.

Holly was sitting next to Bolton "So, who are you going to write about?" she asked

"If he's not gonna read it, then I'm not gonna write it" he replied "What about you?" he added.

"I'll write about my Dad, I don't want anyone to read that either, but hes the most brilliant person around." She said and Bolton got his phone out and started to play some games on it, whilst Holly wrote.

_I remember the times we shared together,  
The laughter, the fun, the days on the beach.  
The times you rocked me to sleep when I cried  
And when we read those books together._

__

One day we went climbing  
That day changed everything for good.  
You were taken from me and I nearly went too  
There's not a day that goes by where I wish it was me and not you.

I miss you so much, more than I can say.  
You were everything to me.  
The moments we shared still remain  
And bring tears to my eyes when I think about them.

I cry myself to sleep so many nights  
Remembering that fateful day.  
I still don't want to believe you're gone.  
The only person I really trusted.

You were the only one who truley understood me.  
My hopes, my dreams, my fears, my joys.  
Now no-one's here. I'm all alone  
Without you my heart is broken.

_I miss you more than I can say  
More than the worlds together  
I will remember the times forever and ever  
I miss you so much, so very much. My one and only dad_

After half an hour Eddie came walking by, he noticed that Half the class were on their phones and Grantly was missing, Davina had been called out to help with another special needs Child who needed her attention early on, and had left ages agon, and Grantly disappeared after her to have a look at the Racing post online, his Class were running wild.

"What is going on in here" Eddie bellowed loudly drawing the kids attention to him.

"Sir, Miss Shakelton had to leave, then Mr Budgen left, and we are supposed to be writing poems"

"Poems, so where are these poems he asked, looking at the desks"

"Heres mines Sir" Karla, Aleesha, Danielle and a few others passed over.

"Anyone else?" Eddie asked.

Holly shook her head, she didn't want Eddie to read her poem.

"All right, the rest of you can spend lunchtime in the cooler, writing your poems" he said

"But, that's not fair" Holly piped up, she had done the poem, and her and Bolton planned to go to a café for lunch, at lunchtime.

"Not fair, you were asked to do something, which you haven't" Eddie said

"I have,"

"Oh, Really, then let me see it" Eddie said

"No, go to hell" she shouted, not knowing where this was coming from, she knew her Mum was getting close to Eddie, and although she liked him, he was not, and nor would he ever be her Father.

"Right, you can go off to the cooler" he said firmly "The rest of you, back to work"

Holly stormed into the Cooler, Mr Wiliding sat at the desk at the front of the class doing some marking, she sat at one of the desks, the only person there other than the teacher.

Eddie went off to find the illusive Mr Budgen, and after finding him and giving him a rollicking, he went off to find Rachel, which was easy enough, she was in her office.

"Rachel, I just had to put Holly in the cooler" Eddie said

"Why, whats she done?"

"She told me to go to hell"

"Why?" Rachel asked

"I don't know, but she was sitting next to Bolton, the two of them seem more than friends" he said

"Great" Rachel thought to herself, "of all the boys she could choose, she choose Bolton Bloody Smilie"

"Right, I'll sort her, Thanks Eddie", and with that Rachel was off to the cooler to find out what her daughter had been up to.

Rachel quickly walked to the cooler, she was a woman on a mission, to find out exactly what was going on with her little girl, on the way she passed Bolton.

"Bolton" she said and he turned around and walked towards her.

"Yeah Miss" he replied

"Do you have any idea what is going on with Holly?"

"Well, she was going to tell you tonight, but me and her, we are together now"

"Oh, Well, I guess I should say congratulations, but I mean what happened in English class"

"I don't know, she wrote some poem about a person who inspired us, I know she wrote it, I seen her doing it, then Budgen left the class, and when Mr Lawson came in she just went off on one, cos she didn't want to give him the poem"

"So, you mean this is all about a Poem?" Rachel asked

"Yeah, I guess, I dunno, its weird"

"All right, Thanks Bolton"

Rachel walked off and got to the cooler, she entered the door, and Holly sighed, she knew her Mum was going to go mental, she was scared.

"Matt, can I have a word with Holly please?" Matt stood and left the class, and Rachel leaned against the teachers desk in the front of the room.

"Holly, whats going on, talking out of turn to teachers, that's not like you?"

"I'm Sorry, OK, I just lost it, he…. Oh, it doesn't matter"

"It does, come on, tell me whats going on, you've changed Holly, ditching school, your appearance"

"Im not a kid anymore, I have a boyfriend now Mum"

"Bolton?"

"Yeah, I was going to tell you Mum"

"So come on Darling, what happened in English, that had nothing to do with Bolton did it, something to do with a Poem"

"I just, didn't want Eddie to read it, that's all, it was private"

"Can I read it?"

"No, its private" Holly said quickly shutting down the conversation, but it made Rachel more intrigued as to what her daughter had written. "I'm Sorry Mum, it's just that Mr Budgen said he wasn't going to read or mark them, and I promise I did to my work and wrote it, but it was about Daddy, and how I miss him" Hollys eyes started to fill with tears, and a lump formed in Rachel's throat, she knew Holly was still hurting.

"OK Darling, but you can talk to me, tell me anything you want, I'll always be here for you baby"

"I know Mum, I love you too"

Rachel and Holly hugged, before Rachel sent her off to her next class.

Holly was in bed, tossing and turning, something was on the back of her mind and she just could not sleep. She had to apologise to her Mum again, she had to explain what was going on, with her just now. She got out of bed and glanced as the clock, it was 11 pm, she had been in bed for an hour, and she could see Rachels bedroom light was still on through the crack in the door.

"Mum" Holly said from the other side "Can I come in".

"Course you can, come in" Rachel said, as Holly sat on her mums bed, on top of the duvet. Rachel put down the book she was reading, it was Crime and Punishment that Eddie had got her as a Thank you Present.

"Whats wrong darling?" Rachel said and put her hand reassuringly on her daughters knee.

"I'm Sorry about before, with the Poem, and Bolton and everything" Holly said quietly, she just wanted everything to be back to normal, "I know you must be mad"

"Holly, why would I be mad darling?"

"Me and Bolton, I though you'd be mad about us"

"No honey, I'm not angry that you have a boyfriend, maybe a bit that you didn't tell me about it"

"Sorry, I just was scared about it"

"You don't need to be scared to tell me anything, hmmm, so do you really like him"

"Yeah, I know he gets into trouble at times, but he's nice to me, and I think he's changing"

"Well, that's good, but no more secrets OK"

"OK, Mum, you can read my poem, if you really want to, its nothing new to you, just about missing Dad"

"I'll read it, if that's what you want, but have a think about it first"

"OK, Night Mum" she hugged her Mum before going to her bed, and sleeping soundly till the next morning.


	19. Chapter 19

Rachel was in her office when Joyce came in. "Miss Mason, there is a man here to see you, a Stuart Hordley"

Rachel didn't recognise the man who came in. "I'm sorry, but do you have an appointment"

"No", but I just need 5 minutes he said.

"well OK then" Rachel said and soon, the man was sitting across from her.

"Miss Mason, my bid for the building has been rejected"

"I'm sorry about that Mr Hordley, but that's really nothing to do with me"

"Rachel, isn't it, I was just wondering if you could call the Borad, ask them to review"

Rachel was getting angry, the nerve of this man "No, I can not, now please I have work to do"

"Oh, but you will make the call Amanda" Rachel's head spun, what did he call her.

"I'm sorry, but really there is nothing I can do"

"Well, how about, you make the call, or I tell the world about your past, I know about you Amanda Fenshaw, you see my receptions is Tess Doyle, does that ring a bell"

"Please you need to leave" Rachel said "I will not be blackmailed"

Just then Eddie came into the office, Rachel introduced him and tried to get rid of him, but he was not budging, and offered his services to the school, in the end, he ended up going to help with the lessons for life group, even offering one of the kids a job.

Over the day, Eddie had explained to Sturat about how much work Rachel had put in with Bolton, so Stuart knew exactly who he would be giving the job too.

In the mean time Mika, Chlo and Aimee are talking, Mika is not happy she has just found out about Tom and Davina.

"Can you believe her" Mika said "I don't know what he sees in her bloody Davina Shagathon"

Aimee was so glad that her Mum hadn't found anyone yet, no man would ever take her fathers place, and she wouldn't get anyone get in the way of her and her Mum and sister.


	20. Chapter 20

Holly was with Botlon stetting on the wall outside. "You know that year 8 over there" Bolton pointed to Amber

"Yeah, I know her, why?" Holly asked

"She never leaves me alone, she fancies me" Bolton confessed to his Girlfriend.

"Uh, is it hard being the big man, I think she just has a crush, that's all" Holly said to Bolton.

"Yeah, just wish she would leave me be"

Meanwhile Amber was talking to Lauren Andrews one of the year 8 girls. "Do you like him" she said to Amber pointing to Bolton.

"Yeah, and if he wasn't with her, he'd be with me, what a slag she is" Amber said.

"Why don't you try it on with him, I mean really, what has she got that you haven't" Lauren said.

"Yeah, your right" Amber said.

Holly kissed Bolton and left, she was going to choir practice, and Amber took her chance.

"Hay Bolton, I was thinking we could go into Town or something?" Amber asked

"What for?" Bolton asked.

"Eh, don't know, but it has to be better than here, right"

"Yeah, your right, lets go" Bolton took her hand and left the school. Holly hadn't went into the building yet, she seen Bolton take her hand and leave the school. Holly felt betrayed, she thought he loved her, but obviously not. She ran to her Mum's office, not sure about where else to go, she ran in without knocking, not seeing Eddie was sitting at the table with Rachel at the other sided.

"Holly, what's wrong?" Rachel asked as she seen her daughter in tears.

"Bolton, he's went away with Amber. She came up to him after I left and they went away holding hands"

"What," Eddie shouted, he was angry with his Daughter and with Bolton, but Holly was still in tears.

"Honey do you know where they went" Rachel asked.

"No, just out the gate" she said through the tears as Eddie stood up.

"Right, I'm going to look for them" Eddie said. Rachel glanced at him.

"Eddie come on, they could be anywhere" Rachel reasoned, "Come on, lets just calm down, there is 20 minutes left of lunch, maybe they are just away out for something"

Holly was still crying as Rachel comforted her.

"Eddie, can you just give us some time please" Rachel said, and Eddie left.

"Mum, Why does he not love him, why has he gone with Amber?" Holly asked

"I don't know love, maybe they are just friends hmm, why don't you talk to him later, you might find he has a valid reason, and if he is with her, like you think, then your better off without him"

"Yeah, maybe she did me a favour" Holly said.

"Maybe she did Darling, but I know this is hard, the first time always hurts the most"

"It is, it feels like he's stabbed me through the heart" Rachel hated to see her kids upset and the past year they already had more upset than they deserved.

"Oh Darling, come on," Rachel hugged her, and after a while of sobbing Holly felt a bit better, then the bell went.

"Thanks Mum, I better go to class, I have Maths"

"OK Love, Is Bolton in that class"

"Yeah, Why?, Oh Mum please don't say anything to him" Holly pleaded

"I just want to make sure that he is in Class, that's all, you go just now, I'll have a look later".

Holly made her way to Eddies class, she was a bit late, Holly looked in and could see Bolton was not there.

"Come on Holly, take a seat" Eddie said his voice wasn't as angry as it normally was when people were late. She sat at her desk, but she mind was not on Maths today.

Eddie of course noticed that Bolton was not there, he was furious, he soon noticed Rachel outside. "Kids keep working, I'm just going to have a word with Miss Mason"

Eddie left the class to see Rachel. "No Bolton I see" Rachel said.

"No," Eddie said, "What about Amber?" Eddie asked.

"She's not in class either" Rachel said, she could see Eddie getting angry.

"Eddie, maybe you should let me deal with her, you're too angry" Rachel suggested.

"No, it's OK I can do it" Eddie said.

"Come on Eddie, you have a class next period, I will check to see if she is there, and if she is I'll deal with her, it must be hard for you trying to be her Dad after so long and her teacher"

"OK, your right Rachel, I better get back in here"

"Eddie, hows Holly doing"

"Shes quiet, not paying much attention, but I've just been letting her be"

"Thanks" Rachel said as she left Eddie and went back to her office.

**Next Part**

Next period came, and both Amber and Bolton were back in their classes. Rachel waited for 10 minutes, and walked to Ambers French class.

"Miss Haydock, can I have a work with Amber Lawson in my office" Rachel said to Steph before looking at Amber. "Amber, put your things in your bag, you won't be back" Rachel said to her.

Amber was scared, she hated being in trouble, especially with Rachel. She knew Rachel had went out on a limb giving her a second chance when no one else would.

Amber left the class and went out to find Rachel.

"Rachel I'm sorry about before" Amber said.

"And can I remind you young lady that you are in school, now go wait outside my office" Rachel said her voice firm.

"Yes Miss" Amber said and left, Rachel walked to Boltons Art class.

"Bolton, collect your things and come with me" Rachel said to him, and he followed her to her office where Amber was waiting outside. Rachel decided to deal with Amber first since she was the youngest.

"All right Young lady, in you go, Bolton wait here".

Once Rachel had sat at her desk, and Amber was standing at the other side of her Rachel started.

"Where were you last period" Rachel asked.

"Em, just in Town"

"Just in Town, with Bolton by any chance?"

"Yes Miss, please, don't tell my Dad" Amber said.

"Your Father knows already, now, I have spoken to your Mother, and she agrees that you can have a detention today to make up for the work you missed out on, so go to the cooler, and you can stay their till 4.15"

"But" Amber was about to say she was going out after school, but she knew it was no use.

"Amber missing class is just not acceptable"

"I know, it wont happen again"

"No, well just make sure it doesn't, now off you go straight to the cooler"

Amber left and Rachel filled out a form or Ambers file, every detention had to be noted. She finished and went out of her office, to get Bolton, and found Amber sitting next to him on the sofa. Joyce was not at her desk

"AMBER, COOLER NOW" Rachel shouted at the young girl who was not expecting it, she thought Rachel until now was a bit of a push over.

"Bolton in you come"

After Bolton got a similar lecture, Rachel sent him off to the cooler also and put a note into his file also.

Holly was devastated, she loved Bolton, and he had hurt her, why did he do that, was she not good enough for him. She got to the car and met her mother who had decided to leave early that day, she didn't think Holly would feel like hanging out in school too much longer.

Holly was sitting on the wall at her mothers car when Aimee came up to her. "I heard about what Bolton did" she said to her sister as she put her hand on she shoulder.

"Yeah, I bet the whole school knows now, Aimee is there something wrong with me, I mean well their must be, I was stupid to think he'd ever like me."

"No, your not stupid" Aimee replied

"Deluded then" Holly had a single tear fall down her cheek which she tired to hide and wipe off.

"Your not, You and Bolton, you didn't work, so come on, there are plenty more boys at this school, and some of them a lot better than bloody Bolton Smilie, we'll find you another, better one" Aimee said.

"And Why would they want me, I'm Stupid, and Ugly, and you were right before I act like a baby, I mean he's run off with a year 8, I lost my boyfriend to a year 8, what does that make me"

"Holly, there is nothing wrong with you, honestly"

"Aimee, help me please, I want to get him back, I need to get him back"

"No, look he's shown his true colours, and once he realises what a mistake he has made, he will be begging you to take him back, you don't need to do anything, and when he does come begging, tell him where to go"

"I can't if he wants me back, then he can have me, I'd be lucky enough for him to take me back"

"No, Holly, why would you do that?"

"Because, I'm not like you, you can have your pick of boys, I can't, I thought I was dead lucky when he even agreed to see me, and I guess it's true, that I don't deserve someone as brilliant as Bolton" Holly said

"No way, you are worth 10 of him, look, he's not too good for you, your too good for him, and honestly don't rush into something just for the sake of having a boyfriend, I promise, when the right guy comes along, you'll know who he is, and everything will be better" Aimee said as Rachel came along behind them, she heard what Aimee and Holly had said.

"You know, your sister is right Holly, you really are worth so much more" Rachel said as she place her arm around Holly's shoulder.

"Thanks Mum" Holly said as she got into the car.

Once everyone was safely inside Rachel started the car.

"I was thinking Girls, how would you both like a trip to London tomorrow and come home on Sunday, we can stay with Aunt Mel, Philip and Maria?" Rachel asked her kids.

"Yeah Mum, great, can't wait" Holly said with less enthusiasm than she would normally have had.

"Really, yeah course, I can go see Joseph" Aimee said excitedly, she hadn't seen him since she had left London.

"Great, well I'll phone Aunt Mel, see if it's OK" Rachel said as Rachel moved the car out of the school car park.

Eddie was in his classroom when his phone rang, he looked at the ID and seen it was his Ex Wife calling.

"Allison, Hi" Eddie said

"Hi, I'm a bit early to pick Amber up from detention, can Michael and I come up and see you?"

"Sure, I'm in my room, do you know the way or should I come down"

"It's Ok, I know the way" Allison said, as she made her way by security. A few moments later, she was at Eddies class.

"Daddy" Michael said running over to him.

"Hi Buddy" Eddie said picking him up, flipping him upside down and tickling him.

"Daddy stop it" he squealed whilst giggling, Alison laughed, she enjoyed the time she spent with Eddie, she loved him, but there was no way she could take him back, and well, he wouldn't want her anyway she knew he felt something for Rachel.

"So Amber" Allison said once Eddie had put Michael down and gave him some pens and paper to draw on.

"She was with Bolton, went down the Town when she should have been in class" Eddie said whilst shaking his head.

"It's starting again Eddie, this is how it started last time, she got involved with an older boy, and then her behaviour went downhill"

"Allison, it won't happen again, Rachel and I won't let it, come on, lets go get her"

Allison and Michael followed Eddie to the cooler, she was sitting with Jasmine. Eddie opened the door. "Miss Koreshi, how are they behaving?" Eddie asked.

Jasmine nodded her head "Fine Mr Lawson" Jasmine replied.

The bell rang, and the kids left the cooler, Amber hanging on till the end, she didn't fancy people being around for this lecture.

"Amber, I think we should have a little chat, don't you" Eddie said

"Yes Dad" Amber said as she followed them back to her Dad's class.

Rachel got home, with the girls, who both disappeared upstairs, Holly plugged her I pod into its docking station, put music on, and started to cry, she threw herself on to bed and started to cry. Aimee went into her room, she put her laptop on, she was going to tell Joseph she was coming, but decided she would surprise him.

Rachel put her laptop down in the living room, she had a bit of work to get through, and also wanted to call her sister. She decided to call her sister first, she really needed to see her, and she knew the girls could do with sometime away. Rachel picked up the phone and called her sisters number.

"Maria, Hi love, its Auntie Rachel" she said when she heard the young girl pick up the phone.

"Oh, Hi Auntie Rachel, I thought you were Mum" Maria said to her Aunt

"No love, I was actually looking for your Mum, but I'll phone later if she's not in"

"I don't know when she will be home, she was meant to pick me up from school because Philip was going to see Doomsday"

"Doomsday, that's an 18" Rachel said before realising that her young niece meant she was on her own. "Maria, who are you in the house with?"

"Em, just me, but I'm nearly 11, that's old enough to be in myself" Maria said, although in Rachel's eyes, it was no where near old enough.

"All right, I'm not going to hang up, just stay there, till I phone your Mum"

Rachel got her mobile and called her sister, there was no answer, she called Philip who answered.

"Philip, where are you?" Rachel asked

"Em, in Town, why, whats up Aunt Rachel?" Philip asked worriedly

"Just your sister being in on her own, Phil she's barley 11" Rachel said

"But Mum said she would pick her up today?"

"She didn't, are you close to home?" Rachel asked, she quiet frankly didn't like Philip being in on his own, he was only 14, but it was better than leaving Maria.

"Yeah, I'll be there soon, in about 20 minutes"

"Thanks Love, Oh, and tell your Mum, not to plan anything for the weekend, shes going to have 3 guests" Rachel said inviting herself along for the weekend.

Rachel hung her mobile up, and picked up the landline.

"All right Maria, Philip will be home soon" Rachel said

"OK"

"Do you want me to stay on the phone till he gets there"

"No, it's OK, I'll go do homework"

Rachel said goodbye and hung up the phone, she made some dinner, which Holly barley touched, got some work done, enough to ensure she could leave early the next day, and then told the girls to pack, they would leave straight after school.

"In you go" Eddie said to Amber when they reached his classroom. The 4 of them went in, and Eddie pulled some seats out around a table for them to sit on.

"Michael, why don't you go over there and draw a picture" Eddie said, Michael looked up at him.

"Has Amber been naughty again", he said with exaggeration on the again, he went over to the desk he had been at previously, and drew a picture or a fire Engine.

"So Amber, you and Bolton, do you care to explain?" Eddie asked impatiently

"Em, nothing, we just fancied a trip into town, that's all" Amber said meekly.

"A trip into Town, when you were supposed to be in Science, not to mention Bolton missed my class, and he had a girlfriend" Eddie said his voice raised a little louder.

"He Had a girlfriend" Amber said, "Like now he doesn't" she said smiling slightly, her plan to get him was working.

"I don't know Amber, and really, it doesn't matter, because he is too old for you, and you are not to see him again, do I make myself clear" Eddie said.

"You can't stop me" Amber said spitefully, "You haven't been around for 2 years, and now, you think you can just waltz back in like nothing has happened"

"Amber, calm down" Allison said "I completely agree with your father, and you know your on your last chance here, after what happened before, did you not learn anything, Miss Mason didn't have to take you on at this school, and you had better not mess it up"

"Sorry Mum, I just like Bolton, that's all"

"I'm sorry, but that is no excuse to bunk off school, is it" Allison said.

"No Mum, and I'm sorry Dad"

"Amber you know I love you, I just want what's best for you" Eddie said

"I know Dad"

"Well, lets get out of here its half 4, no need to be in school this late" Eddie joked as he walked his family down to the car park.

"Now, are you two ready for staying with me tomorrow?" he asked his Kids

"Daddy, why can't you live in the same house as us" Michael asked.

"Because, Mummy and I, well, we need to stay apart, but we both love the two of you"

Michael excepted this, but he missed his Daddy, he really loved him.

"Mummy, can Daddy come for dinner at least before he goes home, because, he's got no one to cook for him"

Allison smiled at Eddie "Your welcome to come for dinner if you want" Allison said.

"I have a better idea" Eddie picked Michael up, the little boy was giggling in delight "how about we, all go to Pizza hut"

"Yes Daddy please" Michael said, and soon they were in separate cars on their way.

Holly woke up early the next day with her mobile phone vibrating on her bedside table, she picked it up wondering who it could be, Bolton used to text her every morning when he woke up, but it was far too early to be him, and well, he wouldn't anyway, she knew it was over between them.

She looked at the display, "Philip" it said, and she flipped it opened to get the message.

"Mum's not came home, don't know what to do" she read in the text, Holly wasn't surprised, it had happened several times before, so she text back.

"Well, you can't come to ours this time, your too far away, I'll tell Mum" she replied back, Philip replied back seconds later.

"No, don't tell Aunt Rachel, not yet, she might be home before you guys get here tonight"

"Fine, see you later" she replied before getting out of bed and heading downstairs, Rachel was already awake, dressed and had her laptop on.

"Hi Darling, your up early" Rachel said whilst kissing her head.

"Em, Yeah, well so are you" Holly replied, she wasn't sure what to do for the best, she knew Rachel couldn't do anything about Phil and Maria, not from Manchester anyway, and she would just worry.

"Yeah, I have work to do" Rachel said glancing at the clock, it was only 6am, but she wanted to make sure there was no reason for her having to stay late.

"Well, I'm going to do some last minute cramming before my end of unit maths test" Holly said getting her book out of her bag, she had been neglecting school a bit whilst she was with Bolton, and now, there was no excuses, she had to try and do better. Rachel smiled, she was glad she was taking school so seriously.

They both sat in the living room in silence for almost half an hour, the only sound to be heard was Rachel's occasional type at her laptop, or sign with her pen, or Hollys pencil tapping on the table when there was something she didn't quiet understand.

Aimee finally came down the stairs, she was excited about the prospect of seeing her boyfriend today, and the end of the day could not come too soon, they were soon all ready for school, and in the car ready to go.


	21. Chapter 21

The school day passed by pretty uneventful, when the final bell went Rachel and the girls made a quick get away, their luggage was in Rachel's office ready for their break to London.

Eddie met his daughter at his car, she was coming to stay with him this weekend, and her luggage was already in Eddie's car.

"So Dad, what do you have planned for this weekend" Amber asked.

"Oh, nothing much honey, that depends on what you want to do" he replied, Amber knew what she wanted to do, but also that it would not be allowed, and for once, she didn't want to get into more trouble, but there was no harm in asking.

"Can I go out tonight, with some friends?" Amber asked quickly.

"I don't know, does one of these friends names start with Bolt, and end in ton" Amber nodded.

"Then that would be a no, besides your Mother doesn't want you going out this weekend" Amber sighed, this was so unfair, it wasn't her fault that he liked her better than Holly.

"Now, lets go pick your brother up, and then we can have some of my famous Spag bol". Amber laughed, she remembered her Dad's cooking, was not one of his best skills.

"Dad, I'm so glad I get to see you again" Amber said and Eddie smiled, he loved seeing his kids too.


	22. Chapter 22

Rachel and her daughters finished up school that day, and left to go to London, Holly was upset, she had been in a few classes with Bolton, and tired to avoid him, it was all round the school that she had been dumped for a year 8.

Aimee was excited about the prospect of surprising Joseph, she loved him and missed him so badly.

Rachel had no idea that Mel was not at home yet.

After stopping at a service station for some dinner, they arrived in London at 8pm.

Rachel knocked on the door, and Philip answered.

"Hiya Love" Rachel said.

"Hi Aunt Rachel" Philip said as Rachel kissed him.

"Philip, is that Mummy" Maria shouted from the living room. Rachel glanced at her nephew.

"Philip, please tell me, your Mum came home last night" Rachel said, she looked in front of her at the young boy who shook his head.

"OK, it's not your fault" Rachel said as Philip grabbed their cases and dragged them upstairs. Rachel went into the other room, and seen Maria, who was sitting doing homework.

"Auntie Rachel" she shouted running up to her and wrapping her arms around her.

"Hi Sweetie" Rachel said returning the hug, "Have you had dinner yet" she asked. Maria shook her head, and Rachel went into the kitchen to get some food for her and Philip.

Aimee ran upstairs and got ready, she couldn't wait to see Joseph.

"Mum, I'm going out" she said when she was already half way through the door.

Holly, Philip and Maria were sitting watching a film, as Rachel tried to call Melissa.

Aimee got to Josephs house, she seen his car was in the driveway, but his parents wasn't meaning they were out. "All the better" Aimee thought. She pressed the door bell and stood nervously waiting, but all she could hear was a girl giggling.

Aimee was standing at the door, she could hear the girl behind it, she then opened it up, her hair was messed, and she was wearing Joseph's housecoat, the one she herself had worn after their nights together.

"Who the hell is she" Aimee said as she walked in to find her boyfriend naked in the living room.

"Aimee, she's just a girl" he said defensively.

"And who the hell is she" the other girl said.

"I don't know who she is" he said to the other girl, starting to get flustered.

"Funny how she knows your name then, isn't in" the blonde girl said. Aimee could feel the anger and hurt inside her boiling over, she walked over to him and gave him a hard slap.

"Your Dumped" she said.

"Yeah, you are" the other girl said, as she quickly pulled her jeans on, and Aimee left, running quickly back to her Aunt's house.

Rachel was sitting in between Holly and Maria who had just finished watching their film.

"OK Maria, time for bed" Rachel said to her young niece, who looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Just a bit longer Auntie Rachel, please" she begged.

"It's already past 10" Rachel stated.

"But, Aimee isn't home yet" Maria said.

"Yes, and shes 5 years older than you, so come on, off to bed" Rachel said again, just as Aimee came bursting through the door, and ran up to the room she was sleeping in.

Rachel could tell something was up, and ran up after her.

"What's wrong darling?" Rachel said as she sat on the bed next to her eldest daughter who was by now in tears.

"Joseph, he had another girl in his house" she said as she buried her head into her mother chest for a well needed hug.

"Oh Darling" Rachel soothed as the tears fell freely from Aimee's eyes.

Holly could hear the commotion upstairs and walked up to see what was going on. She was still upset about Bolton.

"Whats up Aimee?" she asked curiously.

"Joseph, he dumped me, why are all men tossers" Aimee said.

"They are idiots" Holly said. "Except Daddy, he wasn't" she added, causing Rachel to smile. If Trevor had still have been around, he doubted Bolton or Joseph would still be around, he always said he would kill anyone who upset his daughters, jokingly of course, but Rachel knew how protective he was of them.

"Right, no more tears from either of you" Rachel said cheerfully. "Tomorrow, we are going to go shopping, eat lots of food that is bad for us, and have a very good day, we don't need men or boys to make us happy, do we?"

"No" Holly said, a day shopping with her Mum and sister, what more could she want.

Suddenly the front door opened, Rachel could hear a couple of people stagger into the hosue.


	23. Chapter 23

It was Melissa, coming home from her night out, that somehow turned into an almost 2 day adventure.

"Rachel" she shouted upstairs, Mel had obviously seen her car in the drive way.

Rachel left her 2 daughters alone, after telling them both to get ready for bed, and walked downstairs to see Maria hugging her Mum, with the same excitement a dog would show to it's owners it hadn't seen for a long day.

"Mummy, did you have a good time, did you get me a present" Maria asked

"Of course I did" she said pulling out a cheap set of lipglosses, but Maria thought they were brilliant, and ran to Rachel to show her them.

"That is lovely darling, but it's late, so off you go to bed" Rachel said.

"But Mum's here now, Mummy, can I stay up and watch TV?"

"Course you can" Mel said as Maria turned round to Rachel and gave her a cheeky grin.

"Melissa, can I have a word please?" Rachel said and watched as her sister followed her into the kitchen.

"What the hell do you think you were doing, leaving the kids home alone like that"

"Ohh Rachel, get off your high horse, just because you are afraid to leave your girls alone, nothing happened, they were fine" Mel argued.

"Your lucky they were fine, I should report you, you can't leave two little kids home alone"

"They are hardly little kids, and its not like Mum and Dad never left us alone, we turned out fine….. well we did eventually" Mel said, Rachel looked on in anger.

" That doesn't make it all right, Mel please don't do it again"

"Fine, I won't but what are you doing here anyway?"

"The girls, they needed a break, Holly has been having a bad time at school, the boy she had been seeing, went with another girl, and now, Joseph has been caught with another girl too, so they are both a little upset"

"Poor girls" Mel said.

"They will be fine, we just needed a break, I spoke to Phil last night and told him we were coming, just arrived a few hours ago"

Mel nodded, she didn't mind her sister being around, she just hated it when Rachel undermined her, or made her feel rather stupid like she did earlier.

Rachel left the room and went upstairs, she was glad to find that both her daughters were fast asleep.

The next day, they done exactly as had been planned before, lots of shopping, and eating, which took all their minds off the problems they had been having with the males

Once the weekend was over, they returned home, Holly was dreading going back to school, everyone knew about how Bolton had went off with a year 2, but she was glad of her new friend Sameen, she had always been nice to her, and over the past few weeks they had got closer.


	24. Chapter 24

**Ok, so its been over 3 years since I updated this fic, since that time I have been a busy bee with having another baby girl (this one is definitely the last) and working hard as a mummy, but I thought it was time for a little update. After re-reading the fic I came up with a little idea. I don't know if anyone still read this, if you are please let me know. Clare xx**

Rachel and the girls had been back at waterloo Road for a few weeks. Aimee's grades had been slipping, and she was fed up with always having Rachel on her case, it was her AS levels and she knew it was serious, but she wanted to have fun too.

She had arrived at school early, her Mum had a meeting and Holly had football practice, her best friend Sameen was on the football team and was the star player, but she had missed school yesterday and wasn't answering her texts.

"Mum, has Sameen's Mum called the school to say she is sick?" Holly asked

"No honey, but if you hear from her let me know please"

Later that day it had all came out about Sameen and how she was to be deported, Holly tried her hardest to try and convince her to stay, and was really sad when she had to say goodbye. Danielle, Alesha and Karla were all there for her, but she was frightned about what was going to happen to her best friend and her family not to mention she would probably never see her again.

Aimee was trying to console her sister after school, so much so that she forgot her French essay. The next day she got to school and made her way to the computer lab she was typing frantically when Maxine and Chlo turned up.

"Whats up with you?" Max asked

"Forgot my essay for Haydock" was her stressed reply

Maxine whispered to Chlo something Aimee couldn't hear

"No way Chlo, her mum is Mason we just cant" Maxine said

"Oh come on, I mean look who our parents are, they are teachers too, and she must have it 10 times worse than us" Chlo replied

"OK, but if we get caught your both for it" Maxine said with a hint of trepidation in her voice

"What the hell are you two going on about?" Aimee asked curiously

Max stood up and logged onto one of the school computers

"What would you say, if we told your there was an easy way for good grades"

"Maxine, are you talking about cheating, as I can't my Mum would kill me"

"Oh Aimee, she would never know, you just type in your subject in here, pick one, copy paste and stick your name on top"

Seconds later Aimee had an essay in her hand to give Miss Haydock next period

"This is a one off, just for this wee emergency" Aimee said whilst reading over the essay.

"Aimee, I don't like doing it either, but it gets Tom off my back, he wants good grades, so that's what he gets."

"Well, so long as we tell no one else or else" Max replied with a hint of authority in her voice.


	25. Chapter 25

**OK, so this is the last chapter for this term, I didn't like the ending of series 3, so I'm changing it, I hated the whole prostitution/fire storyline.**

Rachel was in a good mood, well why wouldn't she be it was the last day of term, Aimee's grades had improved and her exams were over. Holly had heard from Sameen who wasn't enjoying being in Iran, but was safe at least for now. And Rachel had big plans for the summer. Mel was moving to Rochdale, she had been transferred in work, so her kids would be transferring to Waterloo Road after the holidays. Philip a year 11 with Holly and Maria would be a year 7. It was an exciting time for Rachel.

"Mum I'm nervous" Holly said, "Do I have to do it"

"Well, I think you would be letting the school down if you didn't, your one of our best spellers" Rachel said trying to build her daughters confidence up

"Yeah Holly, you need to do it, I mean you're the brainy, geek of the family and I'm the rebellious one. It's just the way it is"

"Aimee" Rachel scolded "And with the marks you have been getting recently you are both the brainy ones"

"If only you knew" Aimee thought to herself as they all went out the door with her mother and sister.

"You seem in a good mood" Eddie commented as he walked into Rachel's office

"Yeah, well why wouldn't I be, for the first time in a long time everything seems to be going right"

"Wish I could say the same"

"Eddie, what's wrong?" Rachel asked as she stroked his arm

"Oh, just Amber, I just can't seem to get through to her that Bolton is too old, she's missing curfew, going off with him after school, texting and facebooking him all hours of the night. Allison is going spare; worried it's all going to happen again"

"Look, it's the last day of term; I'm going to take the girls a few trips through the summer, why don't you bring Amber and Michael. At least to get her away from him for a while"

"What you mean go on holiday together, with Holly and Amber, I don't think that's a good idea, they still wont talk to each other after the whole Boltongate"

"Not on holiday as such, I was thinking a weekend to Alton Towers, and a few days in London and maybe having Holly and Amber forced together in a car for a few hours might just sort them out"

"Ill speak to Allison and let you know" Eddie replied just as the bell went.

Waterloo Road won the spelling bee against forest mount , much to Rachel's delight, this only put her into a brighter mood, that was about to be short lived.

The kids had all went outside for break before the football game Rachel was hoping for a Waterloo Road victory, but first she had to find Grantly, she wasn't happy that he wasn't at the spelling bee, she felt as head of the English department he should have been there. She was shocked when she got there to find a lady from the exam board regulation authority in Grantly's class with reports out on a desk.

"Can I ask, what is going on?" she said with a confused glaze over her face.

"So, Mr Budgon, you haven't told Miss Mason"

"Told me what" Rachel glared at Grantly for some answers.

"We are conducting an investigation; it seems there have been many irregularities with your course work for your AS Level candidates"

"What sort of irregularities?"

"Plagiarism"

"No, there must be a mistake, I mean there can't be, the kids wouldn't do it, there's no way"

"Miss Mason, can we discuss this in your office"

"Yes of course"

Rachel and Grantly started walking to her office when they passed Aimee

"Aimee" Rachel called

"What's up Mum?"

"Nothing for you to worry about, but can you find Mr Lawson and Mr Clarkson and ask them to come to my office"

"Sure, but Mr Clarkson is with the football team"

"I know, but this is more important" Rachel smiled and Aimee ran off, she knew exactly who the woman with them was; she was from the exam board she had been at the school one day looking at coursework with Mr Budgen. Aimee suddenly felt her stomach knot; this was not going to be good.

"So, how many pupils does this effect and is it just English?" Rachel asked

Rachel, Eddie, Grantly were sitting with the lady from the exam board in Rachel's office. Eddie was just as shocked as Rachel when he found out.

"We have identified over 100 pupils in the greater Manchester area have been using a website to download essays on many A level subjects, this problem is not limited to Waterloo Road. But, we have found 7 have definitely been using the website regularly."

"And these kids, do they disqualify or other sanctions"

" We will investigate further, but how the school didn't pick this up is beyond me, its so blatant, take Maxine Barlow, she was getting C's and D's in her course work, and then all of a sudden top marks, the exact same thing with Chlo Granger"

"No, Chlo can't be on that list, she has been working so hard" Tom stated in dismay

"I'm afraid she is as well as Sophie Johnston, Lucy Cartwright, Fiona Stapleton, Thomas Wills and Aimee Mason"

"Aimee" Rachel said in shock "No, that can't be true, I read her last few essays, and they were good"

"A little too goo Miss Mason"

"God, it's all my fault, if I just stopped going on at her about grades she might not have"

"Rachel, I'm the exact same with Chlo, but it's not our faults, they both know better. They have both been through it this year, not that I'm making excuses, but losing a parent and then having to deal with exams couldn't have been easy"

"Well, I'll let you lead your own investigation and I will be in touch next week once we have looked at every piece of coursework by every student, of course we will take in any personal circumstances if the girls are grieving, but I must say, all 7 are looking at being disqualified and will have to resit next year"

Once she had left, Rachel called in the rest of the English teachers to find out exactly what had happened before she confronted the children.

Aimee had sent Mr Clarkson and Lawson to her Mums office, but now, she had to find Maxine and Chlo.

"We are going to be in for it" she whispered as she grabbed them out the changing room"

"What do you mean, did you grass us up" Maxine said

"Course not, but the lady from the exam board is here, she's with Mum now and Lawson, Tom and Mr Budgen"

"Well, it might not be for that, look I have mates who used that site last year, so long as you change a paragraph or two like we all have it will be fine, stop worrying, or you really will give the game up" Maxine wanted to believe what she had just said, but didn't think she could .

After the teachers meeting, they all went down to the football field, the girls had won their game, but the boys had lost there's.

"Chlo, with me" Tom shouted with gruffness in his voice

"Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't cheat"

"Tom, it doesn't matter, I won't be back next year, I'm going to be a hairdresser"

"No flaming right you wont be, you'll be lucky not to be expelled" Tom shouted as Chlo ran off.

Rachel, was furious with her daughter, and was off to look for her.


	26. Chapter 26

Rachel was furious, why the hell did Aimee feel the need to cheat, she was always a bright girl, but lazy. Even at primary school she did the least she could to pass tests and please her teachers. It was always a real bug bear with Trevor and Rachel; she really missed him right now all she wanted was his big strong arms around her now to tell her everything was OK. She missed him more than ever right now, she hated being angry with her girls and in the past they would take in turns who would be good cop and who would be bad cop. They were a great team, but now she had to try and be both as well as their head teacher. Had Rachel made a mistake coming to Waterloo Road? Before in London she taught in a tough inner-city school, she loved it and over the years was promoted to head teacher, she was glad Trevor wasn't jealous. He was a chemistry teacher, head of his department, but the school he taught in was in the suburbs close to where they lived, the girls went to his school, the school Philip still goes too. He always joked to Rachel that maybe one day she would be at the same schools, some days he would come home angry with them for something they had done. He was harder on them if he had to tell them off, but when they got home they would go to Rachel moaning about how he just wanted to make and example of them. Rachel had always said she wouldn't teach in the same school that her children attend, but here they were.

Rachel's thoughts were interrupted by the door to her office being opened.

"Mum, Mr Lawson said you were looking for me"

"Yes, I was, where were you?"

"I, just popped into town with Mika and Brett, Mum are you OK, you seem sad"

"I was thinking about the time in year 9 when you had a science test"

"Mum, please I was a stupid kid then"

"And now, your not a little kid anymore Aimee, when you cheated on your test in year 9 we managed to protect you, because it wasn't that serious. Your father was furious then and yes we grounded you and you got detention, but grounding you and giving you detention isn't going to fix this"

"Mum, can you help me"

"No Aimee, its out of my hands, the exam board are investigating, but you could be disqualified, not just from your AS levels, but from sitting any exam again. No A levels, means no university"

"What, all for a couple of essays"

"Like I said Aimee, you're not a little girl anymore, if you make mistakes in the real world then there are harsh consequences. That's what your father and I tried to teach you"

"Mum, what happens if that happens" Rachel could tell that Aimee was terrified.

"Well, that's a worst case scenario, I've been looking into it, you might need to repeat year 12 and sit your AS levels next year or they might just fail you on the coursework you cheated on"

"Hopefully it will be the last option, I don't want to repeat"

"Aimee, how many essays did you cheat on?"

"Quiet a few, it was only meant to be one, I forgot one essay when I was comforting Holly over Sameen, and the next day Maxine told me about the site. It was meant to be a quick fix. And then you were so happy when I got an A"

"Aimee, do not blame this on me, of course I was happy when you got an A, but I would rather your fail than cheat, do you understand"

"Yes, but anyway, I used it a few more times. Maxine said to change a paragraph or two. Most time I didn't just copy and paste, but I read the essays then tried to write something similar in my own words. Hopefully I get away with those ones"

"Aimee listen to yourself, you can not possibly be trying to justify your behaviour. Now listen to me, there isn't much we can do until the exam board finish their investigation, but I want you to go to the cooler, I'll be there soon to speak to all 7 of you"

"7? There was only 3 of us?"

"No Aimee, there were 7 of you now go, I'll be there soon"

Aimee stood up and walked off to the cooler


	27. Chapter 27

**Thanks guys for your reviews, this chapter is a little different, its set 3 years in the past when Aimee was a year 9 and Holly a year 7.**

Aimee had logged on to her fathers computer in the study, she had hers confiscated for being on it too late at night, but she wanted to talk to her friends, they were trying to arrange a skive to the park, and she needed to know where to meet her friends. She logged on to facebook chat and was glad to see her friends online

_Zoe: All right Aimee, we are going to bust out of school after morning break_

_Aimee: We cant, we have science for third period, my Dad will know_

_Zoe: I forgot and he has an end of section test for us_

_Katie: I know, I'm going to flunk that one_

_Aimee: Yeah me too, Dads been sitting all night making that test up, said it's going to be the toughest ever._

_Zoe: Oh man, not what I wanted to hear_

_Aimee: Don't worry; I think he was just saying that to get me to study_

_Katie: But if he's not, I really can't fail this test_

_Aimee:BRB someone is up_

Aimee go out of her chair quietly and sneaked to the door, she sighed a sigh of relief when she seen her little sister going to the bathroom. She moved back to the laptop on the desk when something caught her eye. Her Dads brief case was sitting and he had left it opened, she peaked in and sitting at the top there was a green folder that simply stated "year 9 – section 5 electricity" Aimee carefully took it out, whilst looking around to make sure no one was around. She opened it up and found what she was looking for. "Should I send my friends a copy or keep it to myself" she thought. She decided quickly to send it to her friends, but the scanner was noisy, there was no way that wouldn't wake the house up. She took her Iphone out and took a photo of the test.

_Aimee: You guys are going to love me_

_Katie: Why?_

_Aimee: check your phones_

_Zoey: Is this what I think it is_

_Aimee: Yep we just need to memorise the multiple choice answers, 4 questions in 4 sections should be easy - look the first 4 is ABBA we just need to remember Abba_

_Zoey; Then the second one is CABA that's easy too_

_Katie: If we just remember that it's a pass. We only need to get half right to pass_

_Aimee: Right guys I'm off to bed, night night brainiacs, and tomorrow after Science its party in the park woohoo. Oh and remember this is for us 3 only, don't show it to anyone_

Aimee signed off and then placed the test back in her father's brief case before heading to bed.

The next morning Aimee was chirpier than normal

"Aimee, why are you so happy?" Rachel questioned

"No reason except its Friday and I was really hoping you guys would give me my laptop back tonight"

Rachel smiled "I'll talk to your father, but so long as you behave today I don't see why not"

They finally arrived in class, the morning went without incident, and the class sat their test and then sneaked out to the park. If her Mum and Dad found out they would go mad, but everything was going smoothly. They managed to get back to class for last period and no one bothered.

Trevor marked the tests, he was surprised that 3 of the class got 100% after looking at the names and seeing the 3 best friends he was certain they cheated, although bright girls, they weren't that clever and it was a hard test, one question in particular was really tough and what shocked him even more they had answered without showing any of the working. He put them into his brief case and headed home.

"Hi Girls, lets go" he said as he got to the car

"So Aimee, what did you think of the test?" he asked suspiciously

"It was fine Dad"

"I thought it was pretty tough, you did well"

"Em thanks I guess"

"Well, just wait till we tell your mother, she is going to be so proud"

Aimee was beginning to feel guilty, but there was no way she could tell her Dad, it wasn't just herself she was grassing up.

They arrived home and got out the car and into the house, the girls went upstairs to get changed and Trevor found Rachel in the kitchen making dinner.

"Hi honey, how was your day?" Rachel asked her husband as she kissed him on the cheek

"I don't know, either Aimee has done fantastic on her test or she cheated" Trevor took the test from his briefcase and sat them in front of his wife.

"Look, Aimee, Kate and Zoey, 100% each with not a bit of working. And have a look at Peters, he usually does very well and he only managed 75%"

Rachel walked to the stairs and called up for Aimee to come down to the kitchen.

"Your Dad was just telling me about your science test, well done sweetie"

"Eh, Thanks Mum"

Rachel could tell there was hesitation in her voice.

"So, it's the first time you got full marks in a science test, your father is very proud"

"Yeah, but it's not a big deal"

"It is a big deal, I think we should go out to dinner to celebrate" Rachel knew Aimee cheated, but she wanted to try and give her an opportunity to tell the truth.

"No, but can I have my laptop back"

Their conversation was interrupted by the ring of the house phone.

Rachel was shocked when she picked it up and it was the Headmaster of the girl's school. They had been looking at the class registers and found that Aimee had missed a few classes today. Rachel apologised and explained that she would make sure it didn't happen again.

"Aimee, can you come down here please" Rachel called upstairs before calling Trevor into the kitchen

"All right Young lady do you care to explain where you were today"

"School" Aimee replied

"Rachel wants this all about?" Trevor asked

"Mr Wilson just called; apparently Aimee missed period 4 and 5 today"

"Oh, that"

"Yes that" Rachel said angrily

"So after your science test you just decided to ditch, where did you go" Trevor asked he was furious

"Emm, we just went to the park to chill, we had been studying so hard for the test"

"And talking about the test, I didn't see you study for that at all, how did you managed to get 100%" Trevor asked

"I jut knew the answers, what are you trying to say, that I cheated?" Aimee said defensively

"Aimee, did you cheat?" Rachel asked

"What, No, I can't believe you would say that Mum"

"OK, lets not get into a fight, Aimee, you can just talk me through your test answers" Trevor asked

"No, why should I, you don't trust me, I'm going out"

"AIMEE, COME BACK HERE" Trevor shouted after his eldest daughter

Rachel and Trevor talked about it, they knew Aimee had cheated but couldn't prove anything.

Aimee knew she had to tell her Mum and Dad the truth she knew they knew, but she couldn't face them. She stayed out till after dark before going home to face the music.

Rachel was pacing the floor, she was angry, but at the moment she was more concerned for where her daughter was. She breathed a sigh of relief when the door opened and Aimee came in.

"Aimee, where have you been?" Rachel asked whilst hugging her daughter

"I'm sorry Mum I just had to get away, Dad he is so angry"

"I know honey, but what you did cheating, its just not on, your father works hard teaching you and the rest of your class, a test is so he can see how well your doing, and if there is any problem your facing, and cheating like that makes him sad, it makes him thing he isn't doing his job right"

"I guess I'm not getting my laptop back"

"You guessed right, your Father will be in soon he went out looking for you, and when he gets here, I think it will be a good idea to apologise because you are going to be grounded"

"For how long?"

I don't know, at least a week for skipping school, and 2 weeks for cheating, but I think you should go upstairs have a bath and put your pyjamas on just now and I'll get you some dinner, Ok Sweetheart"

Trevor came home and after a long discussion Aimee was grounded for cheating and bunking off, and also her Father told her to be sure of detention on Monday.

Today hadn't been a great day for Aimee


	28. Chapter 28

Rachel walked to the cooler and met Eddie on the way

"Did you speak to Aimee?" Eddie asked

"Yes, I was quiet calm with her, she was terrified Eddie, she knows she's done wrong, but I can't help but blame myself"

"Rach, it's not your fault" Eddie placed his hands on Rachel's shoulders, she felt the electricity run through her and she was sure he felt it too

They entered the cooler to the 7 kids, Chlo, Maxine and Aimee knew exactly why they were there, but the others didn't have a clue.

"All right kids, we need to have a little chat, and I need you all to be honest with me, there has been an investigation from the exam board into your coursework, they think you have visited a web site and downloaded essays for your coursework"

The kids were all terrified looking and Rachel knew they were all guilty.

"I will be in my office with Mr Lawson, and I will call all your parents so we can discuss. Maxine, you're up first"

Maxine followed Rachel and Eddie to find Steph was already there.

After Maxine, Chlo went to the office with Tom, by then the other kids parents had arrived. Finally it was Aimee's turn again.

"Mum, do we need to do this again?" Aimee asked

"I need you to tell me exactly what essays you plagiarised, when you get home, can you put then all together. I then need you to write a report on what's been going on in your life, I know is hard, but I need you to write about Dad in it. I need the exam board to think you weren't coping. "

"Do I need to, they will think I'm pathetic, and I don't want to lie"

"Aimee, we need to try and give evidence to the exam board to support you" Eddie said

"And it won't be lying, everything you will say will be true" Rachel added

"OK, I'll do it, but I don't want special treatment because of who I am"

"No honey you won't, I'm more worried that they will want to make an example of you, but I have told Chlo and Maxine to do the same."

"Fine, but really must I do it tonight, I'm shattered"

"Yes, you do, if you had been working through the year we wouldn't be in this mess and we would be able to enjoy our summer"

The 3 of them finally left the office, and went home, Aimee got all the essays together and wrote her statement, she emailed them to her Mum and went off to bed, she didn't want to speak to her Mum again tonight, and she hated the disappointment in her eyes.

"I brought you some chips" Holly's voice appeared from the doorway

"And a pickle" Aimee questioned

"Yep of course, everyone is talking about you guys they all think you're going to get expelled"

The two girls sat on Aimee's bed eating the chips.

"Might be for the best, I'm thinking maybe I should move to another school if I don't get disqualified completely"

"What no way, Waterloo Road wont be the same without you"

"Yeah well Mum is so disappointed, you know when she is angry at us she shouts, but she has gone beyond that, she is really disappointed"

Holly wrapped her arms around her sister

"You know she will get over it, she loves us and giving some time everything will be OK"

"Your so naive, if I stay at waterloo Road next year she will never trust me, I will have no freedom, she will be watching over me all the time, I just don't know if I can hack it anymore"

"Well what would you do, get a job, with no qualifications. You'll end up working in a shop for minimum wage forever; it won't be so bad going back"

"Holly, I might need to repeat, I don't want to do that, I thought I was only going to have a year left and then freedom. Not now, God I screwed up"

Rachel was standing at the door, she was glad her daughters were getting on so well now, 6 months ago they were fighting like cat and dog.

"Holly sweetie, can you let me talk to Aimee?" Rachel asked.

"Sure Mum, I'm off to bed, night" Holly kissed her mum before going next-door to her own room.

Rachel sat on the bed next to her eldest daughter and placed a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Honey, I don't want you to worry about this too much, there isn't anything we can do now until we hear back from the exam board. I got your email, hopefully with that we can put up a good case"

"Mum, if I get disqualified, what will I do?"

"If, and it's a big if then we will cross that bridge when we come to it, but you would need to make some big decisions either try and get into college or a job somewhere"

Aimee turned to her Mum and gave her a big hug.

"Anyway sweetie, I was thinking after I have sent these reports to the exam board, maybe we could get away somewhere, just the 3 of us. I was thinking looking for some flights out to Grandma and Grandpas, would that be nice?"

Aimee smiled, she hadn't seen her Grandparents for a while, they came over from Canada for Trevor's funeral, but that had been almost a year ago.

"I would like that a lot, Thanks"

Trevor's parents were British, but they moved to Canada in the 60's and that's where Trevor and his 3 brothers and sisters lived. He had come to the UK for University, but never went back to Canada as he had met Rachel and married her.

"Well, I have to get the reports and statements from Chlo, Maxine and the rest tomorrow, I'll send them on, and then we are off."

"Mum, I could get a Canadian Passport if I wanted couldn't I?"

"Yes, your father was born there, but where is this going?"

"If things come to the worst and the Exam Board to disqualify me then maybe I could stay with Grandma and Grandpa and finish school in Canada"

Rachel though about it for a moment, it wasn't a really bad idea

"Only if you get completely disqualified, if you have to repeat next year then you can stay here, and of course, you will need to ask your Grandparents"

"They are going to be so angry, do we need to tell them"

"Honey, they are your grandparents they will just be glad to spend some time with you, now how about you try and get some sleep, it's been a long day"

Rachel kissed her daughter before checking on Holly who was sitting on her bed reading a book on her kindle.

"Its time for lights out sweetie"

"Is Aimee going to be OK?"

"Yeah, she'll get through it, I'm going to book us some tickets to see Grandma and Grandpa for a while, and I think we all deserve a break"

"Mum, will I have to go climbing, Uncle Joseph and Tommy and Laura always wants to go."

"It's up to you sweetie, I think you would enjoy to get back out, maybe start off with something small, but if you really don't want to then you don't have to"

"I don't want to, I never want to again"

"All right baby, not if you don't want to, now it's late so lights out"

"Mum, it is the summer holidays you know"

Rachel kissed her head and left to go and phone Margaret and James.

She went down stairs and called her Mother in Law, she was quiet a character who wasn't afraid to let her opinions be heard, but she had helped Rachel a lot over the years even from 3000 miles away. Margaret and James were excited to find out that her daughter in law and Granddaughters would be over soon. Rachel explained everything that had happened with Aimee, and they agreed they would do everything to help, and if needed she could take a couple of years out there to finish school.


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks for your reviews, as requested a wee bit of Chlo and Maxine now. It always annoyed me how on the show they never explained what happened to Chlo and Maxine and the others who were caught. Obviously the school burnt down and all that, but still a wee explanation would have been nice.**

Chlo left Rachel's office to fine Maxine outside.

"Chlo, what happened?"

"Mason wants me to write a statement about mum dying, she said it might help"

"Yeah, I've to write about Charlotte dying, it gonna be hard"

"I know, but Tom is so disappointed in me, I hate seeing him like this, so much for going out to celebrate tonight" Chlo replied

"Yeah, I know, but Mason wants that stuff for tomorrow, and I'm not really in the mood now" Maxine replied.

Tom came out from Rachel's office, he placed his arm on Chlo's shoulder.

"Right, let's get home, Maxine, I think you should go find Steph"

"Tom, I'm dead sorry" Chlo said as they got into the car.

"Well sorry isn't going to change it Chlo, your Mother would be furious"

"I know she would, I only done it to make you happy and proud"

"Chlo, all you had to do to make me happy was try your hardest, that's all I ever ask"

The car door opened and Mika quickly jumped into the back seat.

"So Chlo are you coming out tonight, we are going to celebrate"

"No" Tom quickly answered "your sister has something she has to do tonight"

"What is going on?" Mika asked

"I cheated on my exams, well the course work, and the exam board caught us"

"Well that was dumb" Mika replied.

"Yeah well we can't all be brains" Chlo replied under her breath.

They got home and Chlo went upstairs to her room to start her report, and Mika left to meet Brett and the other 6th formers.

Tom called out for pizza, before calling Chlo down for dinner.

"How is the report coming along, do you need a hand?" he asked

"Its done, sent it to Miss Mason a few minutes ago"

"You didn't want me to read it first"

"No Thanks" she replied abruptly

"Chlo, why are you being so short with me,"

"Because, if you just let me be and concentrate on hairdressing none of this would have happened" she jumped of the chair, ran upstairs and slammed her bedroom door

Tom sighed and thought about it, maybe she was right and it was his fault.

Maxine and Steph arrived home; the drive home was in silence, as Steph knew a few weeks back about the essays she wasn't surprised, she was just annoyed that she got caught.

"Right, let's get this report sorted and sent to Miss Mason"

"Steph, I don't want to write it, it's too hard"

"I know it is, but it's the best way to get this all sorted, Chlo and Aimee will be doing the exact same thing"

"Not quiet, I mean everyone will feel sorry for them, they both lost a parent, I didn't, everything that happened to me was my fault an that"

"Maxine, no one is going to blame you for what happened, listen, you just write about what happened, honestly, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

Steph held Maxine in a cuddle for a few moments, before she headed off to write her report.


	30. Chapter 30

A week later and the Masons were on their flight to Calgary, Aimee was nervous about how her Grandparents would react to her, Holly was just excited, and she loved her family and missed them living so far away.

After the 8 hour flight, they were glad to get off the plane; they were struck by how sunny and bright it was. They went to collect their baggage before heading through customs.

Soon, they were in the Arrivals lounge and it didn't take Holly long to spot her Grandpa, he called on him and ran into his arms.

"I'm so happy to be here" Holly shouted, she was followed over by Aimee who was slightly nervous. Her Grandfather had always been a great academic, he didn't get the chance to go to university, but had made sure that all his Children had studied hard and now all had top job.

"Hi Grandpa" Aimee said before hugging him when Holly had finally let go.

James could feel the nervousness in his Eldest Granddaughter, he held her tight whilst kissing he forehead.

"Are you ready to have a fabulous holiday" James said whilst letting her go

"Yes, I can't wait" Aimee replied timidly

"Well, lets get out of the Airport to the Car"

James lifted Rachel's case whilst the girls wheeled them to the car.

A 3 hour drive later and they were soon at their Grandparents house, Holly ran to see her Grandmother, and was greeted by her 16 year old Cousin Laura and 19 year old Tommy; the kids all hugged and started chatting like they had never left.

The girls were all planning their trip to West Edmonton Mall which was one of the biggest in the world; they planned to go a couple of days later after they had a chance to rest.

Holly and Rachel had both went to bed, but Aimee couldn't sleep, she was sure her Grandparents were angry with her, and she wanted to clear the air at the start of her holiday to make sure she and everyone else enjoyed the next couple of weeks.

Aimee came downstairs to find her Grandparents watching the news.

"Hi" she said timidly

"Sweetheart, are you not tired" Margaret said

"A little, but I can't sleep"

"Must be all the excitement" Margaret replied, but she could tell her Granddaughter was upset.

"Do you want to sit down and talk" Margaret added

Aimee sat on the couch next to her Grandmother

"Are you angry with me?" Aimee asked

"Not angry as such sweetie, we are just a little shocked, it's not like you" James said

"I don't know why I did it, someone showed me the website one day after I forgot an essay, it was only meant to be once, but then I got an A, and I thought if I done really well then everyone would be proud and it would make Mum happy"

"Oh Sweetie, all you ever had to do to make your Mum and Dad happy was to try your best and to be happy, that's all they ever wanted" Margaret said

"But, Aunt Kate, Uncle Joseph and Dad were all really intelligent and done well, and Laura and Tommy are brains as well. I just don't want to be the stupid one of the family"

"Oh honey, your not the stupid one, you have had a bad year, and once this is all sorted it wont look so bad." James said

"I've been thinking, if I do get disqualified and can't sit my exams in the UK, can I move here for a year? I promise I'll behave and be really good"

"Sweetie we would love to have you, but won't your Mum and Sister miss you" Margaret said.

Aimee shrugged, "I'd miss them too, but it might be my only chance of going to Uni"

"Aimee, if you need to come here you know you will always be welcome, now why don't you get off to bed so you can have fun tomorrow"

Aimee smiled and kissed her Grandparents before going off to bed.


End file.
